


For Country and Blood

by khaleesi_fire



Category: Reign (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Flying Ladies, Flying Squadron, Loosely follows the series, Multi, References to Reign (TV), Starcrossed Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-04-25 12:10:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 28,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14378370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khaleesi_fire/pseuds/khaleesi_fire
Summary: As a member of Queen Catherine de Medici's Flying Squad, the last thing that Andrea la Tremoille should have done was fall in love with the King's bastard. And yet, she couldn't help herself. With her heart and life on the line, navigating French court with her head in tact is easier said than done, but one must do whatever they can for country and blood. (Loosely follows the show)





	1. Prologue

**Chapter 1**

Age 17 - Andrea La Tremoille, April 1556

"Keep up, Francis! Or must I tell your mother that you were beaten by me once again?" [Andrea](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/481040803944858278/) laughed as she ran through the castle, her dress fisted tightly in her hands so that she wouldn't trip.

The blonde Dauphin rolled his eyes as he sped up his movements in an attempt to catch his friend ignoring the looks he got from servants. "It's always running with you, Drea! Don't you ever slow down?"

"I'll slow down when I am good and dead, Dauphin!" She said haughtily, rounding a corner quickly. "And from the looks of it, you're halfway there."

He glared at her playfully. "That is talks of treason, you know!"

"Well I won't tell if you won't." She stopped for a moment, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. Francis came to stand beside her, struggling for breath and looking at the girl with confusion.

"Are we there yet?" He questioned, glancing around the corridor.

She shook her head, her red curls bouncing down her back as she did so. "Not yet. Are you tired, your Highness? Perhaps you should exercise more often."

"Must you tease the future King of France?" He shook his head at her. "I have to meet Olivia, she'll be expecting me soon."

"Well I would hate to leave Olivia waiting, wouldn't I?" Andrea said with a roll of her hazel eyes before she continued her path, this time walking. "Come on, it's this way."

Francis sighed, but followed his friend nonetheless. "Are you going to tell me what it is that we are looking for?"

Andrea grinned back at the dauphin, not once missing a step. "I found a secret passage!" She told him happily.

"What's so special about that? There are an abundance of secret passages in the castle."

Andrea slowed her steps and pressed a finger to her lips, signaling for Francis to grow quiet. She let her steps fall softly as to not make a sound. "I heard rumors from the servants that they've seen the ghost in this part of the castle and that it always disappears into a passage located in this hall."

Francis shook his head at her, but humored her and crept slowly behind her while he spoke in hushed tones. "You shouldn't believe everything that the servants say, Andrea. Most of it is gossip and tripe that they spread to keep themselves amused."

"And some of it keeps me rather amused." She said, looking back to him with a frown. "What happened to your sense of wonder and excitement, Francis?"

"It was interrupted by the promise of female companionship that you are very much keeping out of my grasp."

"Oh hush, Olivia will understand if you are a bit late for your meeting." She said before quickening her steps. "This way! It should be right around- oof!"

The man was quick to grab her as she collided with him, making sure not to let her fall. Andrea looked up at the dark haired boy and let a sly smirk form on her lips. "Sebastian!"

"Andrea." The blue eyed boy greeted with a small smile before nodding at Francis. "Brother. What are you two doing in this part of the castle?"

Francis stood behind Andrea and gave his brother a skeptical look. "Andrea believes that the castle ghost appears here, she saw fit to kidnap me on her search."

"I did no such thing." She said, glaring playfully at the blonde. "You came willingly. And what are you doing here, Bash? Chasing after that lovely servant girl that you've had your eye on?"

"Now, now, Andrea, teasing doesn't become you." Bash said with a smirk as he released her from his grip, leaving one hand on the small of her back. "I was searching for a missing dog. Apparently, one of the noblemen lost it and father has tasked me in finding the damned thing."

"How difficult your work is, Sebastian." Andrea said with a sarcastic huff. "We haven't seen a dog in this part of the castle if that helps at all. I've only seen Francis losing in another one of our races."

"Right." Francis said, rolling his eyes at the girl. "Honestly, the way you tease makes it seem as if I'm the older one."

"Cheer up." Andrea said, patting the boy's cheek. "You're only fifteen, you still have time to catch up to my caliber."

He gave her a playful grin before rolling his eyes once more and turned on his heel. "And with that, I'll be off to find Olivia. Hopefully she'll forgive me for being late, yet again."

"Just flash your princely grin and she'll be fine, Francis!" Andrea called after him, a thoughtful look on her face. "He's so enamored with her. I'll never understand why."

"Battling for Francis' attention then?"

Andrea turned to look at Bash, a smile pulling to her lips as she drew closer to him. "Why? Are you jealous, dear?"

"Do I have a reason to be?" He questioned, a joking smile on his face as he rested both hands on her hips.

Andrea smoothed down his shirt, running her fingers over the intricate designs of his vest. "Not at all." She said, reaching up to brush her lips against his, a grin forming on her face. The kiss was light, sweet and tempting for more. "I have my eyes on a blue eyed man who is often much too serious for his own good."

Bash tightened his grip on the object of his affections, a hum rumbling from his chest. "Good. Because I would hate to be alone in an almost deserted part of the castle with a woman that is in love with my brother."

"The scandal of it." She joked along, biting her lip as his lips began to brush along her ear and down her neck. "I think this scandal is worse however. One of Queen Catherine's "special" ladies found mingling with the King's son? What rumors that would present."

"Mingling. Is that what we are doing now?" Bash smirked into her skin, running his hands up her sides. "We don't have long until a servant floats through here."

"I suppose we should make this time count then." She said with a soft groan when he found that spot on her neck that she loved. "How I wish our time wasn't spent in darkened hallways and shadowed corners."

"It will not be for long." Bash muttered, lifting his head to press his lips to hers. "Soon I'll go to father and tell him. I'm sure if he speaks to Catherine-"

"You believe the Queen will give up one of her ladies so easily?" She said, resting her forehead against his. He lightly played with a lock of her curly strawberry blonde hair, twirling it between his fingers. "For her husband's illegitimate son at that? I'm sorry, dear, but you do not know the Queen as I do."

Bash frowned. "I know her well enough. We'll find a way. One day I will be able to kiss you in front of everyone." He said, pressing a kiss to her lips. "And touch you." He dragged a finger along the bare skin of her neck, making her shiver. "And love you."

"You don't need to touch and kiss me in front of the world for returned affections, love." She said with a warm smile on her face. "I only need you to be with me. But if that is not enough for you-"

"I said no such thing-"

Andrea pressed a finger to his lips. "Let me finish." She grinned at him as he gave her a playful glare, but did not speak, as she requested. "If that is not enough for you, I will speak to the Queen."

Sebastian shook his head. "Andrea..."

"She might listen to me." Andrea shrugged. "They say I'm her favorite after all. And being favored by a Queen has its perks." She ran a lithe, soft finger along his jaw, watching as the muscle there twitched under her touch. "I want to be able to be yours fully and completely, in the eyes of the whole court. Proudly the lady of Sebastian de Poitiers."

Sebastian beamed at her and grabbed her face to kiss her deeply. Andrea laughed as they pulled apart, pressing a kiss to the hand still rested on her cheek. "Tonight. After she calls me for reports, I'll tell her. Then perhaps we might run away to one of the chateaus your father gave your mother in Paris?"

"I might like that." Bash said, pressing a kiss to her forehead once more before stepping away. Both of them already missed the warmth and comfort of the other. "We have to go. The others won't believe that you are chasing a ghost for this long."

"You and your brother, honestly. Is it so wrong to believe in ghosts and spirits lurking in these old walls?" Andrea said, shooting him a smile. "It makes life much more interesting, I think."

"With you, Andrea, life is almost too interesting."

****

**~For Country and Blood~**

"Andrea, darling, I must applaud your efforts in keeping my son away from that D'Amencourt girl." Catherine said as she mixed a bowl of herbs together. The contents of the bottle made Andrea's noise itch from the peppery smell, making her wonder if the Queen could stand being so close to it. It had to be important and as she watched the gentle and cautious way that her mistress handled the contents, she realized that it was poison. Probably for someone important. "She always was a tiny thorn in my side."

"It wasn't hard, your Grace." Andrea spoke, her hands folded neatly in front of her. "Francis and I are friends. Keeping him distracted from her didn't pose a challenge."

"And that is why I'm so impressed." Catherine said with a smile on her face as she bottled her poison gently. "If you can distract a man that easily, with only your words and friendship, imagine what you could do with your beauty and feminine wiles." Catherine sighed and set her work down before walking over to her desk. "Now there is something that I wish to discuss with you."

"Of course, your Grace." Andrea said with an affirmative nod. "If you do not mind, there is also something I must discuss with you as well. About my place within your service."

Catherine nodded and sat down to ruffle through a few pieces of parchment. "Good, then we have the same topic in mind." She pulled out one sheet of paper and held it out for Andrea to take. "You are almost a woman, yes? Seventeen, I believe. I can hardly believe it it's been seven years since you came here." Andrea offered the Queen a warm smile, which was returned. People often whispered about the relationship between Andrea and Catherine. Some rumored that Andrea was Catherine's illegitimate daughter. Other's claimed she was Henry's. But the truth of the matter was that Catherine actually cared for the girl in almost the same way she cared for her children, but she wasn't her blood.

When she had first arrived at the castle, Andrea had been quiet and meek. But with coaxing from Catherine, as well as Francis and Bash, she was pulled from within herself. Catherine became the mother that Andrea wished she had. And Andrea, to Catherine, became a daughter in a certain sense of the word. "Since you are almost a woman, I think it is time to complete your training in Venice."

Andrea stared at her for a moment, unable to find the words to spit out. "V-Venice, your Grace?"

Catherine stepped up to her with pride in her eyes. "You have served me well. And it is because of this that I want to fund the remainder of your education and provide you with the absolute best. There is a woman in Venice who I've hired to teach you and that's where you'll go." Catherine turned from her for a moment to grab something from her desk before holding it out to Andrea. "And this is a statement, clarifying the rise in payments to your family since your duties will grow. Your grandmother recently bought a home in Paris, did you know?"

"Your Grace…" Andrea said in barely a whisper as she looked over the document, uncertainty in her eyes.

"And your sister, Odette I believe, she is excelling in her music. Your grandmother was quite proud in her letters…."

"Your Grace, please…"

"Why the frown, my dear? You should be more than happy, this is everything you've been working for-"

"Beg your pardon, your Grace!" Andrea said louder, clutching her eyes shut. "I… I'm in love."

Catherine's expression turned stony then. She took Andrea's hands, not too tightly and not too soft, but firm. Andrea couldn't read her face, or tell what the Queen was thinking, and that thought scared her. "In love? With who?"

"...Sebastian" Andrea said quietly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen, your Grace."

"In love with the King's bastard." Catherine said, a bitter smirk growing on her face. "And you would choose him over the opportunities I am offering you."

"I...I didn't wish to anger you."

Catherine scoffed. "Anger? My dear, I had a hand in raising you,. How could I be angry that you have found love in your life?"

Her words felt off. There was something beneath them that Andrea couldn't pinpoint. After knowing the Queen for so long, she knew what to look for in her usual deceptions. She was her Queen, after all. She had to know her inside and out. She gave the woman a tight smile nonetheless. "So… you approve then?"

"I suppose. Though I wish you had chosen someone with a title other than my husband's bastard, the heart doesn't care about money, does it?"

Her words stung, but Andrea merely swallowed her feelings and shook her head. "No, your Grace, it does not."

Catherine smiled, placing her hands on her arms and giving them a light, affectionate squeeze. "I'm glad you agree. I will have my staff draw the proper documents to release you from your contract and stop the money that flows into your family's accounts."

Andrea's eyes widened. There it was. The underlying threat to Catherine's words. The deception. "Stop the money?"

Catherine raised an eyebrow at her. "Well of course. You will no longer be working for me, so it makes sense that I will no longer be paying you.

Andrea felt her chest constrict as if a heavy weight had been placed on it. Her grandmother and sister's faces flashed before her eyes and her responsibility to them was fresh in her mind. "I-Isn't there some other employment that you could assign me?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid the payment is much less that what you receive now. It won't be enough to support your family and the care that your grandmother receives." Catherine touched Andrea's cheek, looking at her as a sympathetic mother would. Conflicted feelings coursed through Andrea. Loyalty for Catherine and her family, and her love for Sebastian. This was the choice that she was being given by her queen. "You understand, don't you? A taken woman, a married woman, has no place among my flying squad."

Andrea took in a tight breath, her eyes drawing to the floor. "I…"

"You have a decision to make, dear." Catherine told her, moving around her desk to take a seat. Her eyes watched the young girl before her and the way she seemed close to tears. She was almost sorry to see the state that the girl was in, as she cared for her as her own. But she was doing what had to be done. She had to break the girl's heart. Catherine chanted in her head that it was necessary, that it was for her own good. "Love is a wonderful feeling. I know this. But it is a weakness women like us cannot afford to have. It requires us to place men before ourselves and the only men who should ever have that honor are our sons." Catherine folded her hands before her. "I know my word's must hurt, but I only say this for your own good. Do you understand?"

It took a moment, but Andrea raised her eyes to look at her Queen. The hazel doe like eyes that once shined with innocence and excitement were duller than they were before. "I understand, your Grace." She spoke in an obedient tone. "Did you not love the King?"

Catherine smiled in an almost bitter fashion. "Once… and look where it got me."

****

**~For Country and Blood~**

Andrea slowly walked to her room, thinking over the lengthy conversation she had just had with Catherine. There were weights on her shoulders that she couldn't bear. One of them were her family's wellbeing, the other her loyalty to Catherine. And the heaviest of all, it seemed, was Sebastian's heart. The blue eyed man who had made her fall for him in the most devastating and beautiful way. The man who made her laugh and forget about her worries and problems, at least for a while.

The man who could break her in the same way she could break him.

"Andrea?"

She turned around, her heart sinking as she saw Sebastian approaching her down the hall with a smile on his face. She forced a smile on to her face, quickly wiping her tears away. "Bash…"

He reached her and immediately took her hands in his. Andrea relished the small bit of comfort, wanting to draw him in her arms. But she knew she couldn't. "Did you speak with Catherine?"

Andrea nodded, avoiding his eyes. "Yes… Yes, I did."

Bash frowned at her tone and the look on his face. "What happened? Did she refuse? I can go to my father. He will speak with her-"

Andrea shook her head, a teary smile on her face. He really did love her. "There isn't a need, Bash. She didn't refuse. She said yes, actually."

"And yet you're crying." He lifted his hand to wipe a tear from her cheek, the roughness of his thumb a sharp contrast to the softness of her skin. "It breaks my heart when you do that."

She turned her head slightly and kissed the hand that rested on her cheek, taking in the feel of his skin before she would no longer be able to enjoy it. "I know."

"Then tell me what's wrong." he implored, looking her dead in the eye no matter how much she wanted to break the gaze.

She pulled her eyes from his and instead stared at his large, work worn hands that were adamant in feeling her skin, unable to hold his gaze what she had to do. "When my father took my brother and fled when I was only 9 years old, it became my responsibility to provide for my grandmother and sister. I stole, I begged, I did whatever I could to make sure that they had enough to eat, even when my own belly was empty."

Bash frowned deeply, watching his love lament her past troubles to him as if he had never heard it before. "And then Catherine's carriage arrived in your village and she offered you a place in her household as a servant in exchange for money and food, I know this. You told me when we were twelve. What does that have to...

She shook her head, feeling her heart cracking in two as she did so. "...The queen approved of our love. But she can't have a lady in her Flying Squad that is promised to another."

Bash frowned. "And you want to be one of her ladies? Andrea, they sleep with men for money and Catherine's praise."

"I know and what I want is to be with you." Andrea said in a longing tone. "But… I need the money for my family, Sebastian. You know this."

"...So you agreed to stay in her service." Bash said, dropping his hands to his side. "And to do that… you and I can no longer be together."

"Bash…"

"Tell me you didn't tell Catherine that you would stay a part of her Flying Squad."

Andrea looked down at her hands, feeling a bout of shame flow over her. "I… I had to choose between you and my family… and I chose my family."

Bash gave her a withering look and stepped back from her. The heartbreak was clear on his face. "An honorable choice, I'm sure."

Andrea couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her face, as much as she wanted to. "Please believe me, if I had any other choice, I would take it."

In his heartbreak, he felt anger. And it was the anger that brought forth his next words. "There were other jobs to take. Other opportunities. I could help you and we could find a way."

"But it wouldn't be enough." Andrea said in a broken voice. He was angry and she couldn't blame him. But she wanted nothing more than to collapse into his arms. "My sister, Odette, is going to need a dowry soon and she needs an education. My grandmother needs constant care and the house, it needs upkeep and servants. We would be buried under the finances and I don't want you to struggle."

Bash looked at her with a hardened expression. "I would struggle for you."

Andrea nodded, a sigh escaping her lips. "I know and I… I adore you for it. But I've already agreed. I leave for Vienna to complete my training on the first ship tomorrow." She cast her gaze down, unable to look in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

Bash stared at her for a moment before he turned and began walking away from her. Andrea stared after him, unable to hold in her tears. "Sebastian, please…"

"It's too late." he said, not turning around. "Your decision is made. And now I'm making mine."

Andrea stared after him, watching the love of her life walk away from her. He wouldn't turn back, he was much too stubborn. And being who she was, remembering where she came from, she wouldn't' follow him. She could only let out a silent cry as she was left alone in the darkened hall and both of their hearts were shattered beyond repair.

AN

Hello! So I have been working on this story for a VERY long time. I'll post weekly updates and whatnot. If you're reading this and are wondering why I haven't updated Hell Lost An Angel or Built By Moonlight, I'll post updates on my profile.


	2. Pilot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon returning to French Court, Andrea realizes that her new duties with Queen Catherine are far more than she expected.

**Chapter 2**

_May 3, 1556_

_Dear Andrea,_

_Court is absolutely boring without you here. Father insists on my taking an active role in my title as Dauphin since I'm turning sixteen soon and mother couldn't be more thrilled. Honestly, talking with noblemen and foreign diplomats is as thrilling as it sounds._

_Olivia left a week ago. She's gone off to marry a titled gentleman. A man that isn't me. I suspect that mother had something to do with it since she seems much too happy about the situation. She denies it, of course, preferring to play the sympathetic mother. I don't want sympathy though. Heartbreak is a feeling I've braced myself for. Being a Dauphin -an engaged one at that- means that my heart isn't free to do what it pleases. I wanted to marry Olivia. She wanted to marry me. I think that we both knew that those things were impossible. I should be happy that she's going to live a good life, with a man whom she is free to love. I should but I can't bring myself to feel anything but contempt and anger._

_I miss you, Andrea. I don't know why you never had a chance to say goodbye before you left, but I forgive you. I could never stay angry at you for long. Is Venice as lovely as my mother makes it sound? Are you enjoying your lessons? Met any Italian gentlemen that trump us French, as you used to say? I hope you're happy. You deserve to be happy._

_With Love,_

_Francis_

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

_May 30, 1556_

_Dear Francis,_

_Yes, I do believe that life in France is missing my particular flair. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll find another means to make each day spectacular again. Eventually, you'll be able to drown out their boring political drawl that they don't care about past their own vanity and fill it with something actually meaningful. I have faith in your abilities._

_I'm sorry that your heart is broken. I know you cared for her. But you must know that life will be better for her now. She won't be the center of rumor and scandal anymore. And do be kind to your mother. All that she does, she does for you. She would even protect you from your own heart, which -I'm sorry to say- is what you need protection from the most. You can't view your engagement as the end of the world. You once told me that you and Mary, Queen of Scots, were friends once upon a time. Perhaps you could love her. Perhaps your marriage will be full of beauty and happiness._

_I miss you too. Venice is beautiful and wonderful, but my heart aches knowing that I can't see you everyday. You are my best friend, after all. What good is causing mischief with the maids here if I don't have you to blame it on? As far as my lessons go, they are what I expected and more. The mistress here has an approach to everything that is both fascinating and new. I'm going to learn a lot here and I'm surprised to say I'm giddy for the opportunity. As far as Italian gentlemen, they are emotional and proud. At least Frenchmen have the good grace to be just a bit modest. Happiness is often overrated, Francis. I can't say that I want it as badly as I used to. But I hope that you have it as well._

_How is Sebastian? Is he well? He never writes me back and I'm afraid something might have happened to him._

_Your loving friend,_

_Andrea_

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

_June 15, 1556_

_My dearest friend Andrea,_

_Happy Birthday. I've had several jewels sent to your Mistress' home along with your favorite chocolate pastries. I remembered how much you loved them. Mother wishes you her best._

_Only you would have the immeasurably wonderful ability to drown out the noblemen. It always astounded me how you could smile, nod, say the right things, but not listen to a single word they were saying. You have a gift that I must acquire quickly._

_I suppose that you're right. Olivia's honor is retained and that's all I wanted for her. Still, it doesn't make the heartbreak fade any faster. She's to marry within two weeks. She says that we must stop exchanging letters. I know she's right. As for my mother, I am most kind. Father has been insistent on my new responsibilities and mother has deflected most of his "king like pride" as she calls it. I often retreat to ride while she deals with him._

_Mary, Queen of Scots. A girl I haven't seen since I was nine years old. She's still at the convent for her education. She doesn't write, but her mother still governs Scotland in her stead. She is quite a mystery to me. To think that my future wife is so close, yet so far is a bother to my usually steady thoughts. I wonder if she'll still be stubborn. I wonder if she'll still be short, with missing front teeth and strong opinions. I wonder if being a Queen has changed her. It's almost frightening that my wife is a Queen in her own right. More power than I myself wield._

_Cause mischief and think of me. I'm sure it will still be satisfying all the same. A modest Frenchmen? Now I know you've been away too long, Andrea. My father is the least modest man I know, and he is supposedly the representation of France itself. Happiness is not overrated. I want it for you very much._

_Bash is well. He walked about the castle in a rift after you left, but he seems to be moving on from his own pain. He told me of what happened between the two of you. I'm sorry._

_With best wishes,_

_Francis_

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

_June 30 1556_

_My wonderful Dauphin,_

_You spoil me, Francis! The jewels were lovely and too much! I pale in comparison to their beauty. As for the pastries, they remind me of home and I thank you for that. I had the most nostalgic feeling while eating them. You are too good to me._

_A gift, a skill, a curse and everything in between. I think it's something that you'll definitely need when you're eventually the ruler of your fair country. Noblemen are good at talking, but not listening. You must be good at both. To have the ability to not listen is just as important for the sake of your sanity._

_Your father has always had his pride, this is nothing new. Our dear King has a head the size of his own country. I beg that you don't have the same ego once that crown is placed on your head._

_She's almost sixteen as well. You can't very well call her a girl, especially since she is a Queen. If she's still stubborn, still opinionated and still short, it will be nothing you aren't used to. After all, your mother fits all of those qualifications, does she not? And as she is a Queen, you will be a King. A King of Scotland. I must say, you should develop the accent for my amusement._

_Perhaps I'll find happiness. One day._

_Why must you apologize to me? You did nothing wrong. It was I who left the both of you. I miss him. I wish he knew how much I miss him, because his pain is mine as well… If I had a choice, a real choice, I would choose to be with the two of you again._

_Always Thinking of You,_

_Andrea_

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

_July 25 1556_

_Francis informed me that you inquired after me. I'm fine. I hope you are well. And I hope you had a lovely birthday._

_You once said you adored a book on Norse mythology. Enclosed is your own copy._

_I have not written you because I am trying to move on. Please understand that._

_Sebastian._

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

One year later...

**Age 18 - Andrea La Tremoille**

Francis had been sleeping when he felt his hair move from his face. For a moment, he thought it was Natalia, sneaking in his room before he would be forced out of his bed to prepare for his sister's wedding. The idea of a little fun before the morning sounded tempting, but he was quickly confused by the scents that bombarded him. Chocolate and spice. It was very unlike Natalia's usual smell of flowers and fruits, but familiar all the same. He couldn't figure out where he remembered it from. He shifted slightly beneath his comforter, feeling a finger brush along his forehead once more.

"Natalia, as much as I'd love to, I'm going to need as much sleep as I can to survive today." He muttered, snuggling deeper into his pillow. "Later, I promise."

"Natalia? Charming more girls with your princely grin, Dauphin?"

His eyes immediately shot open at the familiar sound of the voice and he looked up to find a beautiful face and a bright smile above him. "Andrea…" He breathed in disbelief, a grin spreading out on his face as his tiredness quickly ebbed away from him.

She cocked her head to the side as she sat on the edge of Francis' bed, a lock of her strawberry blonde curls falling over her shoulder. "Well I'm certainly not a girl named Natalia." She teased.

Before she could utter another word, Francis quickly sat up and brought her into his arms. She did the same, burying her head in his shoulder and bringing him close. "When did you get back?" Francis said into her curls before he pulled away, his grin not once fading.

"Only an hour ago." Andrea said, smiling back at him. "The Queen requested me back since my training was complete." She didn't miss the way his eyes floated over her face and person, a curious look on his features. "What? Are you not glad to see me?"

Francis quickly shook his head. "Of course I am. I'm more than happy. I just…, you look different." He told her, running a hand over her cheek.

"A good different, I hope." She said, placing her hand over the one on her skin as she smiled sweetly at him. "You've changed too. You're a man, now. Good lord, you have stubble."

He couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of him. "You weren't expecting me to stay the same boy that was left here a year ago, did you?" He said, noting how her smile faltered a bit. She had certainly changed. A year ago, the Andrea he knew held an innocence to her. She was bright and full of light. The girl -the woman, that sat before him now was a different version of who she once was. There was a sense of maturity and a darkness to her person now. Her dress was dark blue in color, matching the gloves she had yet to take off from her travels to the French countryside. Her hair, while lighter from the Italian sun, had grown longer and her curls more defined. Even her makeup seemed darker, with her rogue reddening her lips as they hadn't been before. She was a woman now, if the curves she didn't have a year ago were anything to go by.

"Hm, perhaps I was expecting that boy." Andrea said, letting her hand fall back to her side. She smiled again. "But, I am glad that you might be tall enough now to beat me in a race one day."

Francis shook his head at her as she stood from his bed, allowing him to get up as well. She handed him his robe before walking to the other side of the room to look out of the window. "Still the tease, I see."

"Did you expect any differently?" She said as she sat at his desk. "So, what has been new since your last letter? Anything exciting?"

"Well, you've heard of my intended's return to court." Francis said with a bit of bitter to his tone. He shrugged on his shirt, not caring that Andrea was in the room. They had grown up together as practically siblings. They were comfortable around one another.

Andrea nodded, her eyes softening slightly at Francis' anger. "Yes. Though I can tell the news doesn't exactly bring you joy."

"I don't like the idea of being forced into marriage." Francis told her. "Just for an alliance that may not even be beneficial for my country."

"You are forgetting this is for the benefit of her country as well." Andrea told him, trying to give him a reassuring smile. "You told me that you and Mary were close when you were children. Perhaps you can rekindle that?"

Francis raised his eyebrow at her. "I already have a few stubborn women in my life, one who teases me at first light. I don't think I have the strength to handle another." Andrea laughed, making him grin. "I have missed you, you know. Letters only do so much."

"I've missed you too." Andrea said, tilting her head at him as a sad look graced her features. "I... never apologized for leaving without saying goodbye. Your mother sent me off on the first ship once light came. There wasn't time..."

Francis shook his head. "There's no need for an apology. You're here now and that's what matters." He pulled his shirt over his head, watching as she turned her gaze to the window once more. "Have you… spoken to Bash?"

Her hazel eyes floated back to him again, this time without the mirth and teasing she had before. This time, she put on the facade of neutrality, but Francis knew better. "Bash? No. I haven't."

Francis gave her a knowing look. "Andrea… I know you want to talk to him."

"Francis… don't. I don't want to talk to Sebastian about what… About that." Andrea feigned, avoiding meeting her dear friend's eyes. "I don't feel for him the way I felt a year ago. I was a naive girl, that's it."

"You and I both know that isn't true." Francis said in a tone that implied he knew Andrea better than she knew herself. Perhaps he did. "You loved him. He loved you."

"It was a year ago." She finally said in slight exasperation, looking up at him with a breezy and carefree smile that anyone but Francis would believe. "A lot changes in a year. We were in love… and now, we're nothing." As he finished buttoning his vest, she came and tugged at his hand. "This is my first day back in French court, you have a fiance that is due to arrive soon, your sister is getting married and your mother is sure to have both of our heads if we are focused on anything else. I don't know about you, but I'm in need of wine and… an activity before my audience with the Queen."

Francis couldn't help but smirk at her suggestion.

_~For Country and Blood~_

"Did you hear? That girl is back, the Queen's favorite lady!"

"Lady Andrea? I thought they sent her away?"

"I heard she ran away. Fleeing after refusing the Queen. I wonder what sordid things she had to do to get back into the royal family's good graces."

Servants' gossip always spread through the castle like wild fire. Unlike nobles and their secrets and intrigue, servants had no need for silence and tact. They spoke freely amongst themselves and usually it was news about their dear employers. To say that Sebastian was angry about their latest topic was perhaps an understatement.

He hadn't expected for her to return so soon. Yes, he knew that eventually she would return and that he would have to face her, but he hadn't had a chance to brace himself. She would pass him in the hall soon. Looking as lovely and sweet as she ever had and it made his blood boil at the thought.

He walked out of the preparation room where his half sister was being readied for her wedding to the King of Spain. He didn't need to witness the king and Queen's bitterness towards one another in the guise of a power struggle. The brilliant thing about being a bastard was never having to be a part of the drama that came with the royals. He could go as he pleased and he was right fine with it. And hearing the servants gossip about the girl he had tried so hard to forget was reason enough to leave.

He smirked as his brother raced up the stairs, looking disheveled as he did. He couldn't help but shake his head at the prince. "Francis, we've been looking for you everywhere. Tough to find."

Francis shook his head at him. "I was riding."

"Oh really? Who?" Bash asked cheekily.

Francis rolled his eyes at the man and turned so that his brother could fix his collar. "So Bash, how's the mood?"

"Father's or the mood in general?" he said to his little brother as he finished making him presentable. He shrugged. "Tense to both. Planning for your sister's wedding."

"Is your mother in there?"

"No. Only royals and their attendants. But your mother is in fine form, God save you." Bash said with a smirk. "I'm off now that you're here."

"Lucky bastard." Francis muttered under his breath. He breathed a sigh as Sebastian began to walk off. "Andrea has returned."

Sebastian froze in his steps, turning to face his brother with an unbothered expression. "I heard. She always did leave a trail of whispering servants wherever she went."

Francis shook his head at the man. "I was just with her, actually. She came to greet me as soon as she arrived. She misses you, you know."

Bash rolled his eyes. "Is that so? Funny how she hasn't made an appearance to me yet." He sounded more bitter than he intended to, but there was an unpleasant tightening within him that seemed ready to break.

"Can you blame her? You ignored her letters for a year and then told her to stop writing you."

Bash looked at him incredulously. "Can I blame her? I can. In case you've forgotten, she left us."

"And now she's back." Francis said slowly. He took in his brother's angered form and was brought back to the days after Andrea had left a year ago. When he skulked about the castle and left definitive welts in his training dummies. "She didn't leave by choice."

"Is that what she told you?" Bash scoffed and turned away, not wanting to look his pitying brother in the eye. "Just because you can forgive her doesn't mean that I can."

Francis opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it, knowing there was no way that he could convince his brother otherwise. They were both stubborn, he and Andrea. It was one of the many reasons he preferred their company above all else "Fine." He smirked as he spotted something over Bash's shoulder. "You can tell her yourself, because here she comes."

Bash barely had a moment to reply before he heard the click of her heels coming up the steps. "Bloody hell, Francis, I sent you on ahead so that you wouldn't anger your mother more than she already is." Andrea said as she ascended the staircase. She stopped short when she realized who he was talking to.

Francis patted his brother on the shoulder and turned on his heel to walk into the preparation room. Bash took in a deep sigh and turned to look at the woman he once loved. The two stared at one another for a moment, their gaze sharp and heavy.

The reddened blonde folded her hands before her and cast her eyes to the bottom hem of her dress."Sebastian." she said in a fairly diplomatic tone.

He clenched his jaw. "Andrea."

"You look well." she said as she climbed the last few steps to stand in front of him. "I received the book. It was a lovely gift. Thank you.

"You as well." he said politely, not finding himself telling a lie. It would take much for Andrea to look anything but beautiful. Not even the anger he held in his heart could make that less of a fact. "And your welcome. Italy agreed with you. Glad you left then?"

His words left a stabbing pain in her chest. She lifted her gaze to glare at him and Bash would have smirked at the fire in her hazel eyes a year ago. "You know I wasn't…" Stopping herself before she felt out of hand, she took in a quick breath and straightened her stance while she replaced her heated expression with stone. "I missed France. I'm glad that the queen wished me to come back."

Bash gave her a sarcastic smile. "Well then, I'm glad Catherine and I can disagree on something else in our long list."

"Are you truly going to be this cruel?" Andrea questioned harshly. "I didn't ask to leave and I certainly didn't ask to come back. I go where I'm told. Not all of us can be free spirited bastards."

"Yet as a free spirited bastard, I still know loyalty." He said with a heavily sarcastic tone.

"I know loyalty. I also know what loyalty is more important for my family." she countered. Bash said nothing in return. He only stared at her with those bright blue eyes that once made her heart warm. "I don't want to argue with you."

"Neither do I, so we can cut this conversation short." he said as he tried to turn away from the girl he had once loved.

Andrea clenched her eyes shut in frustration and gave a heavy, exasperated sigh. "Sebastian!" Bash stopped and looked back to her hesitantly. "I… I brought you something. From Italy. I saw it and… it made me think of you."

Bash simply stared at her, an unreadable look on his face. He must have gotten rather good at it in the past year. "You think a gift will fix anything?"

Andrea shook her head. "No… but you're getting one anyway. Whether or not you'll keep it is up to you, but I hope you do. Besides I wanted to return the favor since you sent me that book on mythology." She said before starting into the preparation room to attend the Queen. She stopped right as she passed Bash and looked at him sadly. "I'm glad… that you're well. You deserve to be."

With those words, she left him in the hall alone. Bash didn't know if he felt anger or longing in his chest like a weight. He supposed he had time to decide.

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

"Where she puts it, he won't smell it. Unless he is a very good husband." Andrea could hear Nostradamus say as she walked into his small workshop. Her senses were immediately assaulted with the scents of poultices & medicines that often wafted through this room. It was a familiar feeling of being surrounded by Nostradamus' genius. It was a piece of the larger puzzle that was slowly forming to make Andrea feel at home again. The lady in waiting smiled and pushed the door close with her hip, steadying the tray of tea she had prepared for her mistress.

Catherine only nodded to her as she set the tray beside the Queen and began serving it. Nostradamus smiled, however. Catherine's other ladies weren't permitted to attend her meetings with the seer. Andrea was an exception. She had known the man for years, after all.

"Imagine that." Catherine said to Nostradamus with a coy smile.

Nostradamus set his latest concoction on the table before them and sat across from his queen. "You do want Elizabeth to bear sons."

"Oh as soon as possible." Catherine said. "Or what is a wife's value?" The Queen of France sat forward in her seat and offered her seer a hopeful smile. "…But what about my son Francis? What do your visions say about his future? Tell me, Nostradamus, what have you seen?"

Andrea listened closely to the conversation now as she prepared the Queen's tea exactly how she liked it. She didn't know whether she believed in the physician's tellings of the future. The man was too cryptic for his own good. But she still held his words with caution, as they often had a way of appearing true. Once upon a time, Andrea was a girl who believed in ghosts and visions and the like. A year in Italy had made her a skeptic, however.

"I've had fleeting images, but as yet, their meaning is unclear." Nostradamus informed the eager woman. "Perhaps if you were more specific about your concerns?"

A warm smile spread to Catherine's face. "Well, will he love her? Will she love him?" Andrea was certain that the Queen was ill when the warm words and niceties dripped from her lips. "How do I control a daughter-in-law who's a queen in her own right?" The lady in waiting resisted the urge to roll her eyes. That was the queen she knew well and served over the years. There was always venom in the wake of her sugar.

"Is that what bothers you? Her power?" Nostradamus teased. "Or the fact that she's young and pretty?"

"I've just had a vision." Catherine rused with a short laughed. "I see you, beheaded at my command." At Nostradamus' unamused look, she shrugged her shoulders. "Said with gratitude for the secrets we share."

"Be patient. Answers will come." He told her before switching his attention to the lady who quietly and diligently served her queen. "Andrea, it is good to see you back at court." the seer told her with warmth in his tone.

"And it is lovely to see you as well, Nostradamus. " she replied with a happy smile while she set the teacup in her Queen's hands. "The guards say they see Queen Mary's carriage on the horizon, your Grace."

"Then they are on time." Catherine said. She looked to Nostradamus with a sharp look. "Hopefully your visions will become clearer once you see the girl. And Andrea," she turned in her seat to smile at the girl and took her hand. "I have a job for you."

"Yes, your majesty." Andrea said immediately in an obedient tone.

Catherine looked her dead in the eye as she spoke and Andrea knew that whatever she wanted done for her, it had to be serious. "I need eyes on her at all times. While you are not attending me, you should be at her side. You always were good at befriending royals, do it dutifully."

"I…" She glanced at Nostradamus for a moment before nodding at her Queen and smiling. "Yes, of course."

Catherine lifted a and to place it on the girl's cheek. "Thank you, my dear. I have missed you this past year. None of my other ladies have your loyalty or efficiency. Or your talents."

Andrea ignored the look that the seer gave her as she smiled at her Queen. Catherine always did love showering her with praise. Even after she was done tearing the parts of her away that didn't suit her needs. "Thank you, your majesty."

"Now," Catherine said, standing up from her chair. "Let us greet the young Queen."

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

The castle had been in a flurry with the Princess' wedding and Queen Mary's arrival. Everyone seemed to scatter to the courtyard to receive she and her ladies, eager to see the young queen that was to marry their Dauphin. As much as Francis pleaded, Andrea left him to his own devices to face his future wife. It was something that he needed to do without her there as a distraction. Plus, with Queen Catherine occupied, it gave her time for herself that she knew she wouldn't get again for a very long time. Especially with her new assignment of spying on the Queen of Scots for someone that was supposed to be her ally. A year ago, Andrea would have felt guilty. But her training wouldn't dare let her feel such a thing anymore.

With a book in her hand, she retreated to the emptier parts of the castle. Only the sunlight streaming through the windows illuminated the dust covered furniture and echoing halls, but it was plenty for her eyes to see the words on the page of her book. She reveled in the silence. In Italy, she shared her room with other girls aspiring to be a… femme fatale, as her signora had called it. They were all suited to the profession. They never seemed to like her much, dubbing her the, "Queen's Pet" the first time she had met them. Whenever she was around, they would speak in whispers and giggle while their judgemental gazes fell on her. Not that she truly minded, she kept to her own thoughts and amused herself with letters to Francis. Now , things seemed a bit different. While some of Catherine's Flying Squad downright hated each other with a competitive fury, those who were not a part of the group quite liked her. She enjoyed spending time with them.

...Most of the time.

"I heard the King's bastard bedded yet another lady." One of the other ladies had giggled to them earlier that day. They had been practicing their needlework -an act Andrea put up simply for looks- but it eventually spiraled into stories and gossip they had heard. Andrea had been laughing along until Sebastian was mentioned. Despite herself, she felt a swell of jealousy in the pit of her stomach. Before she knew it, she excused herself from the group and retreated with her book for some seclusion to sort out her thoughts. Why was she feeling this way? She thought she had left behind all of her feelings for Sebastian when she went away to Italy. Of course, she had to be over him. It was silly to cling to such a young and naive love from her past. Still, she felt something in her heart for the man that she once loved. She was too prideful to call it jealousy and too smart to argue otherwise.

Andrea found a spot on the floor in front of the staircase and lounged back on the steps with her eyes clearly fixed on her book. It was one on Norse legends that Bash himself has sent her as a birthday present. She supposed it was rather childish to be so enamored with such things but she couldn't help the lovely way the tales made her feel. Like she could run off into a fictional world of gods and goddesses and leave her mortal problems behind her.

She was taken from her fairytale world by the sound of someone ascending the other flight of stairs. A girl appeared, her gaze to the ornate windows before her. She hadn't even been paying attention enough to see her. Andrea tilted her head at her. She was rather pretty with her dark hair and eyes, and it seemed that her beautiful dress was suited for a noblewoman. So much for my quiet time. Andrea thought pitifully before shutting her book with a light slap.

The girl turned to face her at the sound, a hand flying to her chest and a gasp escaping her lips. When her wide brown eyes landed on Andrea still seated on the marble floor, her body relaxed and an embarrassed smile slipped onto her beautiful face. Andrea could only raise an eyebrow at the girl.

"I'm sorry." She spoke in a relieved voice that had the slightest bit of an accent that Andrea couldn't pinpoint. "I didn't see you there."

Andrea gripped the banister of the staircase and lifted herself up. "It's alright. I wasn't the one who was frightened." She told her. "Are you lost? It's not uncommon for visiting nobles to find their way to the deserted parts of the castle."

The girl quickly shook her head. "Oh no. I was just exploring. I can find my way back I believe."

"If you're sure." Andrea said slowly, giving the girl a curious look. Now that she gazed at her, the girl's face was rather familiar. Where had she met her? "As far as exploring, I'm afraid you picked a rather boring part of the castle."

The girl frowned. "Why is that?"

Andrea gave a light shrug of her shoulders. "It's been deserted for years. Not even the castle ghost ventures this far anymore. No one comes here."

"Except you." The girl said softly, offering Andrea a small smile.

Andrea couldn't help but return it with a smirk. "Except me, I suppose."

"I actually stayed here as a girl." she said. "Well not here, exactly. But my old rooms were near here. I think I played in these halls at one time."

"Is that so?" Andrea frowned at her in confusion. "I've never seen you about the castle before."

"I've only just returned." the dark haired girl explained. "I left when I was only eight. Back then, there weren't any tales of a ghost lurking within the walls."

Andrea tilted her head at her in amusement. "How sad for you then. Tales of the castle ghost were my favorite."

The girl seemed intrigued by her words and stepped closer to her. She seemed so innocent, so out of place in the notorious and scandalous French court. Andrea couldn't decide whether she pitied or envied her. "Why is that? Do you know the tales well?"

"Well there isn't very much to do for a little girl in this castle. Chasing ghosts and scaring the maids half to death were my favorite pastimes." The girl laughed at her and Andrea simply shrugged, a genuine smile pulling at her lips. "I just hope you're not on the receiving end of my torment. I do love bothering newcomers who step into my path."

"I'll be sure to stay on your good side then." the girl said with a wide grin.

Andrea gave her a curt nod. "As you should." She held out her hand to the girl. "I'm Andrea La Tremoille."

"Oh! Where are my manners!" She quickly and enthusiastically shook the red head's hand. "I'm Mary."

"Mary…" Andrea found herself repeating. It suddenly all clicked in her head. The accent, the wandering she had heard so much about from Catherine and Francis. She was in the presence of a queen. "Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots?"

The dark haired queen nodded. "Yes, that would be my title. But please, just call me Mary. I don't believe I've met a new friend here yet."

Andrea was quick to lower into a curtsy, keeping her head low. Panic arose in her chest. She always played a part to the people Catherine had her spy on. Letting herself be put in a position where she was so casual, it was a mistake that she would surely pay for later. She didn't miss the frown that fixed on the Queen's face. "Forgive me, your majesty. I didn't mean to… It wasn't my intention to be so frank with you, nor did I mean to threaten you with torment of all things."

"Well you were joking."

"Still, I-"

Mary held up her hands. "Andrea, please. I enjoyed your jests. Honestly." She gave her a reassuring smile. "You're the first person in this castle who has simply… treated me as a girl. I thank you for that."

Andrea stood up straight and stared at the girl for a moment, taking in the sincerity of her smile and the way that she seemed so… kind. It was so unlike any other royal -beside Francis, of course- that she had ever met. Why in the world would Catherine have her spy on such a person? "I…" She cleared her throat and curtseyed again. "I must be going, your majesty. If you would excuse me."

"Andrea!" She was halfway down the stairs when Mary called out to her. Andrea turned to look at her again, keeping together a polite and neutral expression while the young queen smiled hopefully at her. "I… I was hoping if you might like to come to my chambers and tell me stories of the castle ghost? I think I might like to hear them."

As it was her place, Andrea should have said yes immediately. But she found herself pondering the girl's request for a moment. She was Queen Catherine's lady and her loyalty was with her. This girl wanted a friend and she could never be that for her. Still, she placed a smile on her face and nodded. "Of course… Mary." She said before she turned and continued her descent. The smile turned into a smirk before she could very well do something about it. Despite her blunder… she had found her way into Mary's trust.

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

Bash stared at the wrapped gift that lay on his bed. The servants had brought it to him hours ago, but he had yet to open it. It was a sword, that much was a certain. It was a fine gift for him, everyone knew that he was a brilliant swordsman. But it wasn't the gift that bothered him, but the sender. Andrea had been telling the truth when she said that she had gotten him something. He didn't know what he had been expecting and he didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to open it fully.

A knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts, but it was the uninvited entrance that made him roll his eyes. There was only one person who felt bold enough to enter his chambers without permission.

"Mother." Bash greeted, not turning to look at her as his gaze still stayed on the unopened sword.

"Sebastian." Diane replied as she walked to his side. "I haven't seen you since the Scottish queen arrived."

Bash shook his head. "I've been preoccupied."

"Yes, I see that." She hummed, raising an eyebrow at him. "What's this? A new sword you ordered?"

"New sword, yes, but I didn't order it. It was a gift."

Diane's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A generous gift. From your father?" She frowned when he shook his head once more. "Then who? Francis perhaps?"

"No, mother." Bash sighed. He pulled his long standing gaze away from the sword and up to his mother as she stood beside his chair. "Andrea, actually."

"Andrea?" Diane's face fell to stone as she marched to the bed. "She's returned? When? Why?"

Bash gave his mother a confused frown. "This morning. Apparently, Catherine wanted her back."

"Hm. Well, I suppose Catherine needed her most special pet." Diane drawled. "Despite where her loyalties are, she always was good at keeping up with the games of our court. Eyes always watching, smiling when she needed something." She turned back to look at her son. "And smiling when she hurt my son. I hope you aren't planning on going back down that path."

"No, I'm not." Bash said with a heavy sigh. "And she was hardly smiling."

Diane rolled her eyes. "What does it matter? She held your heart and shattered it. And who was there to watch you wallow away?" Her words were spat out and vicious. "Are you defending her?"

"What is there to defend?" he challenged. "We both know what she did. And now she's back, what am I to do but accept that it's happened? Perhaps you will march up to Catherine and demand that she sent the girl away. Let me know how that works out for you."

Diane stared at her son in that way that he always hated. Diane de Poitiers was many things. Manipulative, vain, even selfish. But when he came to her son, she had a side that many had never seen. She could practically read her son like a book. Anything that she wanted for him, she received, no matter what the cost. King Henry knew that better than anyone. Her gaze was invasive and probing and if he were a lesser man, he would had squirmed over the intensity of it.

"You still love her." She said. It was a statement. Not a question that even he could argue against.

"What does this matter, mother?" Bash exclaimed in an exasperated tone. He stood and picked up the sword.

Diane shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Nothing, truly." She placed a hand on her son's shoulder, forcing him to look at her. "But you cannot love her. Not again. It will be your undoing. You must remove her from your heart."

He frowned at her. "And how do you suppose I do that?"

Placing a hand on her son's cheek, Diana gave him a motherly smile. Bash knew her well enough to know that trouble always followed the very smile she sported. "Keep your friends close, my dear. But always keep your enemies closer. And remember that they are indeed enemies."

Bash stared back at her. "Andrea is an enemy now?"

"Think back to the pain you once felt when she left." Diane said, patting his cheek lovingly. "And then question whether or not she is your enemy, my love."

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

The stables had always been one of Andrea's favorite places in the castle. Mostly because no nobles dared travel there. They always received their horses in the front of the castle, away from the smells and work of the servants. But Andrea never had an issue with it. She walked through the stables for the second time that day, paying no mind to the end of her riding dress becoming dirtied with hay and mud. Her eyes darted through the stalls, giddily awaiting when her eyes would land on her favorite animal.

The horse seemed to spot her before she spotted it. A wide, splitting grin formed on her face as she rushed over to the stall and ran her hands over the mare's snout. "Oh Gilly." She cooed to the animal. "I've missed you so much. Have you missed me, love?" The animal pushed her snout further into her hand, it's eyes drooping closed at her touch. "How about another ride, hm? This morning simply wasn't enough."

"Riding at this hour? The sun is setting. A girl like you shouldn't be out alone."

Andrea froze in her place for a moment at the familiar voice but didn't dare turn around to face him. "You should know as well as anyone that a girl like me does not care."

"Still stubborn." Bash said with a heavy sigh as he came to stand by her side. He reached forward to stroke Gilly's neck, avoiding Andrea's gaze as it turned to him. "Gilly is in right form. She's been well taken care of in your absence."

Andrea raised an eyebrow at him. "By who?" When he didn't reply, she took his silence as an answer enough. She smiled softly to herself before her eyes felt to the glint of silver at his hip. "You're wearing my gift."

Bash followed her gaze to the hilt of his sword where a freshly polished silver lion lay at the tip. It was his crest, one he had chosen for himself. It was what bastards did since they had no title or crest for themselves. Andrea had saw it in a shop window and thought of him immediately. Despite their… current status, she didn't hesitate in purchasing it for him. It was a feeling that was all too confusing. "Yes," Bash began. "It is a fine gift. You remembered my crest."

"Of course." Andrea said, frowning at the underlying doubt in his voice. "I remember when you chose it. You ran to me and you had this grin on your face like the cat that caught the canary. A lion. To match your bravery…" She let her words fade away at his soft, blue ridden gaze. It was so intense with a mixture of emotions she wasn't sure she was ready to face. "I take it you're not angry with me anymore?"

Bash shook his head. "Anger isn't the word that I would use."

"Then what would you use?"

"Conflicted." He quickly said, turning to face her fully. "We can't ignore what happened, but walking around with such… animosity won't get us anywhere either."

"No," Andrea said, shaking her head. "It won't."

"And so, I have a proposal." Bash said. At her intrigued look, he gave her a small, trying smile. He ran his eyes over her features. Her hazel eyes and soft red blonde hair. Her rosy lips that were pursed in thought while she stared at him. And the curve of her jaw into her chin, how subtle and sweet it was. She was beautiful. Any man would fall for her.

He did.

"You left. You broke my heart. It will take time for me to forgive you for that." Her expression grew sad and her hazel eyes cast down to her shoes. He tore his eyes away from her and cleared his throat. "But… we have been friends since we were nine. Close friends, in fact. I don't have many outside of my brother, and I… I would like to keep the few that I have."

Her eyes lifted again, this time they were bright with happiness he had dreamt about in the year that she was gone. "So what is your proposal?" She asked.

"We remain friends." Bash told her. "We do not bicker and waste time arguing-"

"No arguing with you? How boring."

He gave her a playful glare. "And we do not let the past repeat itself."

His hidden implications were clear even if he didn't say it. Andrea tore her eyes from him and returned them to her beloved mare, to avoid letting him see the hurt she knew they exuded. "I… of course. I understand. My position here is at the Queen's whim. We might never know if she'll send me off again. Besides, we tried and we failed. We can't very well let the past dictate what we do now or in the future, that would be silly and honestly I would love to be your friend again, if you will have me-"

"Andrea," he grinned at her. "You're rambling."

She shut her mouth, a small smile pulling at her lips. "Right, I was, wasn't I?" She sighed and turned to him with a mockingly serious expression. "Alright then, Sebastian De Poitier. I accept your proposal." She said, holding out her hand for him to shake.

Bash chuckled and happily obliged her. "I am glad, Andrea La Tremoille." He gestured to Gilly beside them. "Shall we cement our agreement with a ride? I'm sure Gilly has missed you and wants as much time as she can get."

"I simply have one thing to add to our agreement." She said, her mirth dying down to a much more somber expression. "If you wouldn't mind."

He searched her face before nodding. "Of course."

"You will not become angry at me for the things that I must do for the queen." She said, turning her eyes down to the hem of her dress. "You know the rumors, the facts. I'm a member of Queen Catherine's flying squadron. Simply a tool for her to use for whatever political means she deems necessary."

"You sleep with men for secrets." The way he said it told her that he was anything but happy with the prospect. He stared at her with those bright blues as if he was imagining her doing exactly what Catherine would use for her.

She turned her gaze back to Gilly, petting her absentmindedly. "Some ladies sleep with men for secrets. It's… how we survive in this court. Hopefully, I can be of use to the Queen in some other way, but... If you cannot accept that, then there is no reason for me to agree to what you propose." She turned back to him, taking in the indecisiveness in his eyes and the tension coiling just beneath the surface. "Wouldn't you agree?"

He wanted to say no. He wanted to shout that she was better than being the Queen's plaything, a tool for the crown to do with whatever they wished. But those words never came. Instead, he nodded and ignored the tearing in his heart and the anger that flushed against his skin. "Alright then. We are agreed."

She beamed at him and Sebastian decided that the grin she gave him now was worth the pain and aching he would endure when he would have to eventually watch her manipulate nobleman into her bed.

At least, that is what he told himself.

****

_~For Country and Blood~_

Elisabeth's wedding was spectacular and beautiful, as it would be for the now King and Queen of Spain. Andrea noticed how nervous the girl was as she was given away to another country by her father, who smiled proudly and in a rather smug fashion for his new alliance. Her hand shook when she placed it in her new husband's as they walked down the aisle as a married couple. Everyone clapped happily for them and wished them a series of "congratulations" and "may your reign be long and prosperous". Queen Catherine ignored her husband for the most part and simply smiled, crying happy tears for her eldest daughter. Andrea didn't want to guess whether or not the tears were real or fake.

The reception was just as extravagant. Andrea watched from beside a few other of Catherine's ladies as Elisabeth and Philip danced with one another. Elisabeth truly was a beautiful bride. And quite young. And while it wasn't uncommon for such things to happen, especially in royal families, Andrea felt for the princess. She was a pawn in her father's games, something to be traded, bought and sold. She was almost in the same position. Except Andrea was certain that she would never be married.

"The Duke of Anjou has yet another mistress." Catherine tutted judgmentally before taking a sip of her wine. Andrea stood slightly behind her, as did her other ladies, and waited for an order to be given from their queen. "This one even younger than the last. Though I suppose that his wife is much too concerned with her chalets and the newest fashions of Paris to pay any mind to her marriage. Money blinds the heart and the mind."

Andrea raised an eyebrow at her queen in question. Catherine watched the man critically, as if she were sizing him up and reading him like a book all at once. She had seen that look enough times to know that she had found yet another target. "Would you like us to see if it blinds her husband as well?"

Catherine looked at her with a unreadable expression before she dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. Andrea couldn't help but frown at the action."Not at all. Fools with money are the least of my concerns . The Duke of Guyenne arrives tomorrow to pay his respects to the newly wedded couple before their departure and his pull in the Spanish court interests me. Gabrielle can keep his attention. I have something special in mind for you."

"And what is it that you wish of me this evening, your highness?" Andrea replied dutifully, though a bit of confusion graced her features.

"Tonight, nothing. Simply keep an eye on the Scottish queen." Catherine turned around to face her head on, looking at her in the eye. "But tomorrow, I have a rather… special assignment."

Andrea didn't hesitate when the queen steered her away from the rest of her ladies. They all stared after her, some envious and others worried. Andrea couldn't say that she didn't feel the same breath of absolute nervousness over what the queen needed to happen. She wasn't exactly in the position to refuse, whatever the request may be.

"You are fond of my son, yes?" Catherine asked her, bluntly and without remorse.

Andrea stared at her for a moment before nodding, her eyes flying down to her shoes. "As one is fond of any dear friend… or a brother, your highness."

"And you would protect him if need be?"

The question knocked her off guard. Andrea quickly lifted her gaze and looked the Queen in the eye, a feat that was rarely allowed between servant and mistress. But the way that catherine worded the question was one of desperation and genuine curiosity. "... Always, your highness."

Catherine smiled at her loyalty before it dropped into one of seriousness. "Then tomorrow, when questioned, you will say that you witnessed the Queen of Scots invite a man into her bed chambers."

Andrea's eyes widened and her mouth fell open slightly, trying to voice words of shock or at least reluctance, but nothing came forth. Catherine gestured over to where a young man nervously stood with two goblets in his hand, his eyes scouring over the crowd to the young Queen as she talked with her fellow nobility.

"That is the young man. His name is Colin. Comes from a family of favored servants and is courting one of Mary's noble ladies, if you can believe it." Catherine told her. "You will describe him, in detail, down to what color trousers he's wearing.

Andrea nodded obediently, as she always did. "I-I don't understand. Why would Queen Mary risk an alliance that her country needs and destroy her virtue? That would be utterly foolish."

Catherine suddenly frowned in disappointment. Andrea let her gaze drop once more, knowing that she had overstepped. "Then let her be foolish. Those are not questions for you to ask. You will simply report what I have told you and let that be the end of it." She suddenly reached forward and gripped both of her arms firmly to get her point across. "If you wish to protect Francis, my son, as you say that you do, then you will do this without question and without hesitation, do you understand? And you will say nothing of this to Francis. Do remember that you and your family's welfare depends on your success in all that I ask of you."

Andrea searched over the Queen's face, finding a deadly glint in her eyes and desperation on her features that she tried hard to hide. The small moral and good part of herself that she still clung to fought against this order. It questioned it defiantly, but the part of her that was so fiercely loyal to Catherine buried such doubts with a single thought. Her family. Her wellbeing, her very life depended on the powerful woman standing before her. Refusal wasn't an option. It was death. And not just for herself.

She bent her head in a small, well practiced curtsy, earning a hum of approval from her Queen. "Yes, of course, my queen."

Catherine let herself smile again, taking a step back as she released the girl from her grasp. "Very good. Do enjoy yourself this evening, Andrea. This is a celebration after all."

Andrea's smile dropped from her face the moment Catherine turned and walked gracefully over to her husband. Her stomach did a strange flip of anxiety that made her hand dart out and grab a goblet of wine from the nearest servant. She downed it quickly, not caring how she looked to those around her. The slight burning of the wine quelled her nerves and the pang of guilt building within her. Guilt and nerves were for lesser women. Women that were not trained as she was. Andrea knew better.

"That's Mary, Queen of Scots!" One of her fellow ladies said in a gossiping manner behind Andrea. "She's rather… common, isn't she?

"What can you expect from someone who was raised by nuns?" another said, making Andrea roll her eyes. "Natalia said that the prince sent Mary away earlier while she was in his room. Seems as if the young Queen can't even keep a hold of her fiance."

Andrea released a heavy and vocal sigh, gaining the attention of the two women. Charlotte, the one with dark, red hair hair who had been with the Medici Queen for two years, was the first to raise her brow at her. "What was that, Andrea? Don't agree with our assessment?"

Andrea took the last sip of her wine, counting it as the end of her second, before she set it on the tray of a passing servant. She turned to look at the two with a bored expression. "I think you don't know the first thing you're talking about."

Maggie glared at her and flipped a lock of her dark brown hair behind her ear. "And I suppose you know all about the royal family's affairs? Being that you are their pet."

"I know that our dear Dauphin values the well being of our country more than he values Natalia's breasts." Andrea said boldly without batting an eyelash. "He's marrying a Queen. A beautiful one at that." She looked over her shoulder to the subject of her conversation as she seemed to be talking to the boy, Colin, who offered her wine. She didn't miss the way the young queen looked at the goblet before setting it to the side. Andrea was glad she had drank enough to bury her guilt. "She's quite a stunning young woman. Even for someone who was raised by nuns."

"Another royal you're trying to weasel yourself with." Maggie bit out. "Will you kiss the Queen of Scot's feet while you're at it? Or perhaps you'll just settle for the ground she walks on? How would she feel knowing that you also bed her intended?"

Andrea rolled her eyes. "Trust me, darlings, I don't need to sleep with any of the royals to get the benefits, unlike you lot. Loyalty has its own rewards."

The two women said nothing and simply sneered at her before walking away. A victorious smirk pulled at Andrea's lips as she turned back around. The atmosphere of the ball room suddenly shifted as Mary and her ladies took to the dance floor. They caught everyone's attention with their girlish giggles and the way they twirled around and danced with one another. There was an air of purity and innocence about them. The innocence that Andrea ached to hold again. She frowned once more, wondering how someone like Mary would betray Francis in such a way.

"So it was true. The pet of Catherine de Medici, Andrea La Tremoille, has returned to French Court. How kind of her to grace us with her presence." Andrea felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end at the voice and turned to face Diane de Poitiers. She was just as she remembered. Beautiful, dark and all around the most underhanded person she had ever known, save Queen Catherine. The woman had always been fairly neutral to her, never having an opinion about the girl that her son loved one way or the other. But she always rubbed Andrea the wrong way. It was her conniving nature that generally put Andrea on edge, she never knew what the woman had up her sleeve.

Andrea cradled her cup in her hand and stood before the woman, pasting a smile on to her face. "Mistress de Poitier. It's wonderful to see you again."

"Is it?" Diane hummed, a smirk pulling to her lips. "And they said that you were good at lying. Hm…" she reached forward and touched the lacing of Andrea's gold hued gown that she had chosen for the evening, making the girl stiffen where she stood. "Catherine gives you everything that your little heart could want. Dresses fit for a princess, jewels that make noble girls quake with envy. I wonder why that is."

Andrea swallowed, bringing her wine to her lips again. "...She rewards those loyal to her. She always has."

"Perhaps." Diane said, a deadly glint suddenly slithering to her eyes. "I won't keep you long, I'm sure that Catherine has given you a lengthy list of orders. I simply wished to welcome you back and tell you to stay from my son."

Andrea blinked at her in shock, the very audacity and boldness of her statement throwing her off. "I'm sorry?"

"You're a terrible liar but you aren't deaf." Diane snapped at her. "You are a poison to Sebastian, to any man that gets to close to you. You're toxic. I will not have my son fall prey to your tricks again, do you understand?"

The words stung. Andrea stared at the woman, trying to keep her resolve despite the fact that she felt as if she had been slapped in the face and dunked in cold water all at once. "I never tricked him. I loved-"

Diane held up a hand as she began to stutter over her words, her eyes rolling with annoyance. "You can fool him, you can fool yourself, but I see through you, Andrea. You are as ambitious as your mistress. My son's position here is tentative. He can't afford to make any mistakes, least of all with you. So keep your venom and your tricks to yourself. Because if you hurt my son again, your return at court will be rather… short lived."

She knew a threat against her life when she heard it. She watched as Diane walked away, leaving her shaken among the happy wedding guest. It seemed as if this night was determined to pile on her misery. French Court was never subtle about anything, hatred being among the top of it. With her wine in hand, she straightened her posture and plastered a neutral expression despite the raging tides of emotions within her. When she was behind closed doors, she could do what she liked, but any sign of weakness could very well be her end.

She moved through the crowd to stand beside Francis, who seemed enamored with his future bride as she danced among falling feathers. Her eyes watched him for a moment, taken in the look in his eyes that she hadn't seen before. It was strange and beautiful all at once. Then as they announced the bedding ceremony, it all stopped. Elisabeth and her husband were whisked off to the chamber and the giggling ladies and their Queen ran off to god knows where.

"Careful, Francis." Andrea teased with a touch of bitterness in her tone, downing her fourth cup of wine that she grabbed from the passing servant "You look like you could fall in love. We don't want that, now do we?

Francis looked at her with a playful glare, though his face suddenly contorted into a mix of embarrassment as well. "I'm not in love with her." he said defensively.

Andrea shook her head. "I didn't say that you were in love with her. I said that you could fall in love with her. Those are very different things, Dauphin."

Francis suddenly raised a brow at her, his embarrassment turning into amusement. "You're drunk."

Andrea scoffed at him, though she knew in her mind that he was very much right. Her limbs were pleasantly loose and relaxed and her mind was muddled and foggy. She probably shouldn't have had that fourth cup of wine. "You are avoiding the conversation."

"There is no conversation to be had." Francis told her in a low voice and stepped forward to steady his friend as she tipped to the side slightly. "Especially when you're too inebriated to provide decent and intelligent commentary."

"Well excuse me for having a bit of fun." Andrea said with a huff as he took her goblet from her hand. "Your mother has no need of me this evening and for once, I'm free to do what I like. You can hardly blame me for taking a few more sips of wine than I should. This court is hell otherwise." It was lie, of course. How could she tell her best friend that she was drinking to dull the guilt of his mother's orders?

Francis frowned and moved the goblet out of her reach as she tried to grab at it. "I can and I am. You will not drink anymore tonight."

"You are not yet King of France." Andrea bit at him, instantly regretting the action as Francis gave her a hurt look. "You can't order me about."

"I am not telling you as your future King, I'm telling you as your friend." Francis wiped his face clean of the hurt and instead replaced it with something much more authoritative. "Yet I do have power as your Dauphin. I'll have a guard escort you to your rooms."

"I'm not a child, Francis."

"Well then you will not behave as one and go to your rooms quietly and without struggle." Francis gave her a stern look. "Do you want my mother to see you like this? Or anyone else for that matter?"

"I almost wished I cared." Andrea huffed. "Give it back!"

Suddenly, a hand enclosed around her wrist and turned her around. She found herself facing a stern looking Sebastian. He was the last person she wanted to see. She quickly tried to snatch her wrist away but he was much too strong for her drunken rage. Francis only reached forward to place two hands on her shoulders to steady the teetering girl, his eyes darting around to make sure that no one was watching the display.

"Now, is that any way for a lady to act?" Sebastian said in a low and hushed tone.

She glared at him. "I'm barely a lady. And I'm a bloody woman for God's sake, I will not be manhandled."

Bash gave her an incredulous look. "Really? A woman? Does a woman get drunk off of her arse and throw a fit in the middle of a party full of delegates that are watching her?"

Andrea bristled at those words and found herself looking around, seeing that were indeed a few people staring at the three of them. She glanced at the goblet in Francis' hand and the tense look on his face and her actions suddenly dawned on her through her drunkenness. Though the stubborn part of her nature refused to admit it, she was acting foolishly and recklessly. All because she couldn't handle her first official night of duty properly.

Would she ever be ever to handle any of it properly?

She breathed in a sharp breath and stood straight with Francis' guide. "... I'm sorry."

"You need not apologize." Francis shushed. "Simply return to your room and we'll speak tomorrow. I promise."

Andrea nodded and wordlessly allowed Bash to steer her from the ballroom. She caught sight of Maggie and Charlotte on the far side of the room, watching and whispering to one another, surely about her. She ignored them for the most part as Bash moved his hand to her waist to better steady her slightly off balance walk. They walked silently before they came to the corridor that led to she and the other ladies' rooms. There was no one else there, just the two of them and the echoes of music.

"That was stupid, you know?" he tersely said as they came to her room door.

Andrea turned to glare at him, quickly stepping out of his grasp and almost bumping into her door as she did. "Stupid? So says the man I once witnessed get so drunk on his arse that he passed out in his horse's stall. Stupid, he says."

Bash narrowed his bright blue eyes at her. "I've never made a public display of my drunkenness, unlike you, who seems comfortable letting the world know that she can't handle her wine."

Her mouth fell open in offense, a huff leaving her lips. "First, it was hardly the world, most of the attendants were already gone-"

Bash rolled his eyes. "Oh please…"

"Second, I can handle my wine just fine, thank you." Andrea poked him in the chest as she said the words, a comical display to any who would pass by. "Third, how dare you judge me. You have no right! You barely have the authority, and you have no idea the kind of night that I have had. So spare me the famous Sebastian de Poitier holier-than-thou lecture on inconspicuous inappropriate behavior, because you are no better than I am." Worked up and angry, she shoved him slightly, but once again, her drunken strength was no match for his. "I've been back one, single day and already I've heard of how you have slept with half of the ladies at court! They tell me, "Sebastian De Poitier is a philanderer and a flirt" and there isn't a girl he's met that he hasn't gotten out of her dress!"

Bash stared at her in near disbelief. "I'm sorry, are you lecturing me now? You? One of the French Queen's Flying Squad that is famed for sleeping with men for secrets? How many have you bedded in the year that you were gone? Surely the number must rival my own because that is what you are paid to do, is it not?"

"That is not the same and you go too far!"

"Oh I'm going too far, am I?" Bash stepped closer into her space, squaring off with the small, redheaded woman as she glared at him, enraged by his words and just as hurt as well. But he didn't stop. His anger wouldn't allow him to. "I begged you to stay with me. A year ago, I asked you to choose and you chose to sleep with men for money instead of being with me. So you can spare me whatever lecture, whatever rumors and whatever anger you have, because in the end, I do what I do out of pleasure. Not out of obligation, and certainly not for coin."

Andrea stared at him for a moment and through her drunken haze, a dawn of realization settled on her. He was still hurt. More hurt than he had let on earlier. Surely, he didn't forgive her and she wouldn't expect him to. But this was much deeper than forgiveness. Her anger slowly dissipated at the thought and she found her gaze for him softening.

"...You still love me."

She watched as he slowly processed the words that she had spoken. "...So what if I do?"

She clenched her eyes shut, wanting to just fade into the door that she was leaned up against and make this whole situation go away. Her duties, her responsibilities, her damned feelings and guilt. She wanted it all to just be over when she opened her eyes. But when she did, with her blues meeting his, all of it was still unfortunately very much real. "You can't do that, Sebastian."

"You don't think I know that?" Bash asked with a hardened stare. "I've tried to stop thinking about you. I've tried to stop feeling anything for you. I thought our agreement earlier would quell whatever was left of us, but it only made it worse… And I think you feel the same."

She glowered at him, but didn't deny it. Sensing her hesitation, he reached forward and took her face in his large, calloused hands. Andrea had to fight the shiver that tried to shoot down her spine and she didn't look him in the eye until he made her. Blue met hazel in a clash of anger, confliction and longing. It was only a year ago that they were in this exact position, but it seemed as if they were different people now. She wasn't the lovesick girl that chased ghosts and fairy tales and he wasn't the passionate and declarative boy that wished for everything and more for them both. They were two souls that had been changed by life in cruel and scandalous ways.

Yet, they still loved one another.

She kissed him before sense could stop her. Teeth and tongue clashed and lips moved over one another in an effort to gain control. Andrea couldn't help but notice that the way he touched her was different. It wasn't gentle and teasing as it used to be. It was rougher and much more deliberate. He ran his hands over her clothed body, tugging at her dress as if he were ready to rip it off of her. All the while her hands were buried in his short, dark locks.

He managed to open the door to her room and back her inside, not once bothering to remove himself from her. He slammed the door shut and pressed her against it, pulling up her dress until her bare leg was open to his touch. Her skin was on fire in the most wonderful way. Every flick of his tongue and touch of his fingers elicited a jolt from her body and she inflicted on him in the same way he did to her. She ran her fingers through his hair like she knew he liked and scratched ever so slightly. Her teeth clamped down gently on his lower lip, pulling a deep and subtle groan from the man in her arms.

He rutted against her like a man possessed and she couldn't help but chase her pleasure as well. Both of them were fully clothed, their skin on fire beneath the finely made material, and Sebastian had no qualms in reaching up and tearing the delicate silk of from her shoulder. He pressed hot kisses to the newly exposed skin and she arched into his touch. It seemed as if nothing else mattered in that moment except the two of them and the rush of want that flooded through them.

God, she had missed him. It was evident in the way she kissed him and grabbed desperately at him. From that infuriating smirk of his, to his damned bravery and even the pride he held against being dubbed a bastard of the king. He was not the boy she had met so many years ago, he was a man now. A man that she knew well within herself that she wouldn't be able to get out of her heart no matter how hard she tried.

She was a masochist. She had to be.

It was that thought and the feeling of her back hitting the bed that quickly brought her back to reality.

She broke their kiss and pressed her hands against his chest to stop his next drove to reclaim her lips. Both of them were frozen for a moment, only their heavy breathing and the distant sounds of the party filling the void between them. Their heaving chests slowed in that moment. With hesitant movements, Bash wordlessly moved to lay beside her on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Andrea pursed her lips and let her eyes hesitantly flicker over to him, gauging his overall reaction. He simply stared at the ceiling beside her, his arm barely touching her own.

"... We're not going to be able to be just friends, are we?" Andrea found herself asking, looking back at the ceiling of her room.

Bash heaved a heavy sigh. "Probably not."

She couldn't help but agree with him, as bitter as the truth was."So what do we do now?"

Bash finally turned to look at her, scouring over her face and her hair that had been disheveled by his hand. He reached forward and ran a thumb over her cheek, a sharp contrast to the way he had touched her only moments ago. "I go back to my room, you stay here... We awake in the morning and hope that the next time we face another, it will be cordial."

Andrea turned on her side to face him her head feeling heavy from the alcohol. "And you think that will be enough?"

He shrugged, pulling his hand away from her skin. "I don't know… it may very well have to be."

She watched, unmoving, as he stood from her bed and readjusted his clothing. Then, to her confusion, he walked around the bed and pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. She frowned at him when he pulled away and left her room without a goodbye. She felt oddly cold and alone when the door finally shut behind him.

She supposed she would have to get used to that feeling.

A/N: Yep, I posted chapter 2 early. I couldn't help it. I'm terrible at keeping schedules!


	3. Snakes in the Garden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the wedding, Andrea is sent to infiltrate the Queen of Scots' household.

**Chapter 3**

A boy had tried to take the virtue of the Queen of Scots while she slept.

That was the news that greeted her the morning after the wedding. She had barely managed to keep herself together when the other ladies told her while they attended to the Queen's rooms. Her pounding headache from a night of drinking had already put a dent in her usually calm facade, but that pushed her even closer to the edge.

Francis had scolded her for an hour until he had finally calmed down, asking her what had possessed her to get so drunk and act so recklessly. She didn't argue with him. She simply allowed the young Prince to worry and crow over her for as long as he wished. After all, she regretted her actions very much. She hadn't seen Bash since he left her room the night before. If she didn't know better, she'd think that their duties simply sent them in different directions. But she did know better and she knew good and well that Bash was avoiding her. Not that she blamed him. Not even back in court for two whole days and she had already made a mess of things.

She had almost been an accomplice to the plot against the Queen of Scotland. Everyone pointed fingers at the English for wanting to sabotage the alliance, but her gut told her that it was Catherine's doing. It didn't take much to piece it all together, what with the order that was given to her from Catherine's own lips.

Not that she would ever say anything to implicate her mistress.

The boy, Colin, was executed swiftly, an act that the Queen of Scots was upset about- though the reason why she was upset was lost to Andrea. She couldn't imagine wishing anything but death for a man who attempted to do what Colin did, no matter his influence. Perhaps the young Queen had her reasons. It was after the boy had died that Queen Catherine gave her new orders.

"Find out what Mary's thoughts are." Catherine had said as she prepared rooms for Prince Charles' future betrothed. "Whether or not she still believes the English are plotting her downfall. And about her engagement to Francis. Surely, she cannot believe that such a thing is beneficial to her future any longer. Report to me whatever you find."

It was for that reason that she was walking down the hall towards Queen Mary's chambers with a few books in hand and an air of purpose surrounding her. It had only been a day since Colin was executed and Andrea decided that now was as good as time as any to take Mary up on her offer. She could imagine how vulnerable she might have been since it all happened and how tentative she was to trust anyone

That's why it was the perfect opportunity.

She told Mary's page who she was and why she was there and waited anxiously while he relayed the message. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding when the page returned and allowed her to pass into the Queen's Chambers. Two hulking guards stood at either side of her door, neither bothering to make contact with Andrea as she passed them. The attack from Colin must have prompted the extra security, a measure that Andrea knew was fruitless.

Mary was getting ready at her vanity when Andrea finally walked in and curtseyed. The young, beautiful Queen turned in her seat and smiled brightly, almost as if the events of only a couple days ago didn't happen. But there was something different in her eyes. The small sparkle of innocence was a little dimmer than the last she saw her. For that, Andrea felt guilt.

"Lady Andrea, it's lovely to see you!" Mary said as she stood and crossed to her. "I was surprised when my page announced you. Was there something you needed?"

Andrea shook her head and smiled at the young woman. "No, your Majesty- I mean, Mary." She quickly corrected herself at Mary's raised brow. "I simply wished to take you up on your offer to tell you about the castle ghost. I have other stories as well." She held up the books for her to see as Mary looked them over curiously. "That is, if you still want to hear them."

Mary seemed to consider it for a moment before she nodded happily. "I would like that, thank you. It's a welcome distraction." She gestured to for her to sit on her sofa and Andrea obliged. "You're one of Catherine's ladies, aren't you?"

Andrea nodded as she arranged the books on the table in front of them. "I am and have been for many years. The royal family has been very good to me."

Mary nodded in understanding, watching as Andrea picked out a specific book and began looking for a page. "Then… you must know the court well."

"As I'm sure you should." Andrea said, tilting her head curiously at the girl. "You lived here before I did."

She reached up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, a nervous habit, Andrea noticed. "Yes, but the castle is… definitely not what I remember. Everything has changed, it seems."

Andrea hummed in understanding, knowing exactly what she meant. It seemed she and the Queen were alike in that respect. Thrown by how different France had become in their absences. For Andrea, it was only a year, but for Mary, it had been so much longer. She probably remembered the castle from the eyes of a child, only focused on how big and grand it was. It had probably seemed like a fairytale then.

"The castle is the same." Andrea told her. "Stone doesn't change that easily. It's simply the people and our memories that become different. And one's circumstances…"

"My circumstances haven't changed." Mary said. "I was sent her to be married before, and I am sent here to be married again." To Francis, Andrea was sure she wanted to say. To be engaged at such a young age… What a restrictive existence royals lived. Even more so than herself, and she was not permitted to love anyone. Mary suddenly sat forward, a curious and almost worried expression on her face. "You said that the royal family has been good to you… Does that mean that you know Francis well?"

Andrea smiled happily at the mention of her friend and nodded. "I do. He was… my closest friend growing up. Why do you ask?"

"I…" She sighed and looked down at her hands in her lap. "Francis and I played as children. I don't believe our engagement ever really mattered to us back then. But it's been years and he seems rather… distant and I was wondering-"

"If I know what Francis is thinking." Andrea finished for her. She weighed the question in her head for a moment. How was she supposed to tell this girl -this very kind queen- that her fiance was having doubts? She cursed Francis in her head before smiling and taking the Queen's arms gently. "I can't answer that, since I don't know what is in Francis' heart. But I do know that he is kind and that he will not hurt you. He's an honorable young man and I'm sure that you two will get along splendidly again."

Mary raised an eyebrow at Andrea's strong praises. "Have you and Francis ever…?"

Andrea's eyes widened and she couldn't help the laugh that burst from her lips. "Francis and I? Heaven's no!" She watched relief fall over Mary's face. "He's like my brother, if anything! You don't have to worry about he and I since there _never_ will be an he and I beyond friendship. I still see him as that skinny boy whose voice had barely changed." Mary laughed at that -genuinely Andrea noticed-. She realized that she quite liked the Queen's smile. Andrea's mirth died down as a thought entered her head and she pursed her lips before voicing it. "Are you asking because of… what happened with that boy?"

Mary's smile immediately dropped a the question. "So you've heard about that…"

Andrea winced at her sad tone and quickly reached forward to grab her hand in comfort. It was probably a forward action, a servant grabbing a Queen as such, but the girl looked as if she needed it. "It is not entirely a secret. And no one can be executed here quietly. I'm sorry if I caused you any sadness."

Mary shook her head, blinking back tears and sending her a sad smile. "No, you didn't. This is all my own fault."

That certainly alarmed her. Andrea frowned deeply at the statement. "And how do you figure that?"

"He was executed because he was used in a plot against me. If he hadn't came here, if I hadn't came here, he would still be alive. The English wouldn't have used him if he didn't have a connection to me." Mary explained, a guilt ridden expression on her face.

Andrea blinked for a moment, incredibly shocked by the words. "...I'm sorry, Mary, but that is utterly foolish."

Mary looked taken back by her tone and words. "What?"

"That boy dared to come into your rooms while you were sleeping and tried to take your virtue." Andrea said, watching as she winced at the mention. "If he would have succeeded, he would have ruined you and your country. _He_ made the decision. _He_ became involved in an English plot. You are the last person who should feel guilty over that boy's death." ' _Queen Catherine is the one who should feel guilty._ ' She wanted to say but never would.

"But Lola told me that someone made Colin do this." Mary said. "Lola, she's my lady and my friend. She was involved with Colin, that was why he was here. She told me that he said that someone threatened to hurt his family unless they did what he said. Someone highly placed at court and someone who obviously only used Colin to get to me. Lola's heart is broken because of me."

"Did she tell you that?" Andrea said bluntly, causing the Queen to look down at her hands. "If she did, then I must say, your highness, you need much better friends and ladies. Colin's blood is on the hands of those who used him. Not on yours. You are not to blame and your ladies should know better than to implicate you in such a thing! I mean, really-" She stopped short at the surprised and saddened look on Mary's face and realized that she had gotten more riled up than she meant to. She took a deep breath and brought herself back from the edge of anger and belligerence. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Mary held up a hand and shook her head quickly. "No, you did nothing wrong. Thank you for what you said. I have been torturing myself over this since it happened and everyone around me seems to point fingers. Lola, Francis-"

"And Francis shall certainly hear word from me." Andrea huffed, making Mary give a quiet and tearful laugh.

"There is no denying that my country and my position put the people close to me in harms way." Mary explained to her and Andrea couldn't find a way to argue. "That will always be my burden to carry."

Andrea stared at her for a moment in a curious fashion, making Mary feel self conscious under her gaze. "And here I believed nunneries only raised naive girls. Seems I was wrong." Mary laughed in utter surprise and amusement. "We should move on to a much more… elated topic. Perhaps I should finally tell you those stories about that ghost now."

Mary smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'd like that."

**_~For Country and Blood~_ **

"Let's agree it's a brilliant match." Catherine explained with a smile on her face. "Madeleine's French, so there's no question of her family's loyalty. Very wealthy."

King Henry stared pensively at his wife. "But not royal, so they're hungry for power."

"They'll pay for it." Catherine said hopefully.

Henry raised a brow, his concern for the situation slipping away for the moment before he shrugged. "It's only right to accept the support of one's loyal subjects."

Catherine bent down slightly to smile brightly and excitedly at her younger son. "And she has a giraffe! Madeleine's widely traveled. She's come from far away by ship. "

Prince Charles finally smiled at the prospect. Andrea could only watch from the sidelines as the royal family interacted. The small prince was less than happy about the idea of having a bride. What boy would at his age? He hid it well, however. Everyone was gathered in the throne room, including a quiet Mary, an annoyed looking Francis and a very stoic Bash. Andrea stood with the rest of Catherine's ladies, ready for whatever order she was ready to give. She avoided looking at Bash throughout the whole meeting, and she was sure that he was doing the same. There wasn't much they could say to one another, or even wanted to. The only reason they were even in the same room was because the King and Queen demanded it. When their highnesses wanted something, they got it. No questions asked.

"Do I get a giraffe too?" Charles asked hopefully.

"The moment she is your bride!" Catherine assured him, putting her son at ease. There were many things to call the Queen of France, but a bad mother certainly wasn't one of them. It was moments like these that Andrea was glad to witness.

"Francis," The Dauphin perked up at the mention of his name, obviously a bit bored with the meeting. Andrea couldn't help but crack a small smile. "To show our respect, I want you to accompany your little brother to the landing."

Charles looked at Bash hopefully. "Can Bash come as well?"

In a flash, the nurturing and happy expression on Catherine's face slipped away and was replaced with one of malice and annoyance. "Charlie! You know that Bash isn't really your brother. He's just your father's son. His presence is disrespectful."

Andrea's eyes widened and shot to Bash, who seemed relatively unbothered by the Queen's comments as he shared a slightly amused look with his brother. She shouldn't have been as surprised as she was, Catherine always held contempt and anger for Bash and his mother. Insults were normal occurrences in Bash's life. Still, it broke Andrea's heart at times. His blues eyes suddenly flickered to hers and they softened at the sadness they had surely found in them. Remembering the night before, she quickly averted her gaze.

"The girl's parents were enjoying Morocco, so they sent her on alone." King Henry explained, ignoring the venom that his wife threw at his son.

Catherine chuckled, her earlier anger almost forgotten. "Apparently, she was more afraid of meeting her future husband than of pirates. Well, that's to be expected at age seven. She'll fall in line, we all do."

For some reason, Andrea couldn't help but feel that the jest was made at Mary. By the look on her face the Scottish Queen knew as well. Mary's gaze shot to her's for a moment and a smile reached her lips that Andrea returned.

"Perhaps I can go with Francis?" Mary suddenly suggested, making Andrea raise an eyebrow in surprise and amusement. Even Francis seemed surprised by her request as he turned to look at her curiously. "I came here too when I was a child. Perhaps I can reassure her?"

King Henry looked at her skeptically. "It's several hours journey."

Mary shrugged nonchalantly, giving Charles a kind smile. "Then we'll take food and treats. I don't mind, really."

"On second thought, why don't we greet the girl here? We don't know, the journey might now be safe." Andrea couldn't figure out why the Queen hated Mary so much. Surely, it couldn't just be that she didn't want Francis marrying her, even Catherine wasn't that shrewd. When Francis loved Olivia, Catherine treated the girl as a simple pest and took steps to annoy her. But something about the way Catherine treated Mary was different.

King Henry shook his head. "They'll stay on the King's Road. A dozen well-armed guards will keep the bandits away."

"Then perhaps Mary will be more comfortable if I sent my lady, Andrea along." The lady in question looked at Catherine in alarm, but kept her mouth shut. Francis himself frowned in confusion and looked at Andrea, who shrugged to him. "As a show of good faith and so that she might make the trip more comfortable for you."

Mary's gaze moved to Andrea as she considered it for a moment before she smiled and shook her head. "As lovely as Andrea is, I do believe I will be fine attending to myself for a few hours. If that is alright with her?"

All eyes turned to Andrea at the moment and she internally groaned at being put on the spot. Catherine gave her a withering and imploring stare while Mary simply smiled politely. "I... " Andrea took a breath and bowed into a simple curtly. "Whatever you wish, your Grace."

Catherine deflated, but accepted it as she slid a neutral expression on her face. Henry flicked his wrist, gesturing to the guards. "Very well. Prepare a carriage for Mary, Queen of Scotland."

Everyone disbanded then to prepare for the departure of the royals. Catherine shot her a look that Andrea was sure that she wouldn't like later that day. She knew what she wanted her to do, but she had failed. Failure was never an option in Queen's Catherine's realm. Francis crossed the room to her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" Francis implored, looking her over.

Andrea pursed her lips and folded her hands before her. "I don't know what you mean."

Francis rolled his eyes at her and gave her a knowing look. "Why would my mother want you to come along to the landing? And don't say it's to support Mary, because we both know my mother well enough."

Andrea shrugged, though she knew that Francis wouldn't believe it. "Perhaps your mother actually means what she says this time. Mary and I-"

"Oh, so you call her "Mary"?" Francis scoffed. "Are you friends now?"

"Maybe we are." Andrea said, reaching up and smoothing down his collar in an effort to calm him. "I admit, she is a very lovely girl. And perhaps you should give her a chance."

Francis raised a brow at her. "Just a few days ago, you were telling me that I shouldn't fall in love with her."

"I think we've established that what I say while inebriated cannot be taken seriously." Andrea told him, earning a smirk from the young Dauphin. "Go and… get to know her. You might like what you learn."

He pursed his lips for a moment. "There may have been an… instance… last night."

Andrea raised a brow at him. "An instance? What in the world does that mean?" Her answer was lost as the queen called out to her, beckoning her lady to her side. Andrea sighed and gave Francis a stern look. "We will speak of this later."

Francis playfully rolled his eyes and bid her farewell before leaving the throne room. She smiled for only a moment and turned on her heel to head to her mistress, not missing the look that she received from Bash as she did so.

Andrea immediately dropped in a small curtsy, keeping her eyes and her head low. "I apologize, your-"

Catherine quickly waved a hand to silence, clearly not interested in any apology she had to give. "What's done is done. I should have known she would use this as an opportunity." She tutted under her breath and dismissed her other ladies while gesturing for Andrea to follow her all in one move. Andrea quickly moved to her Queen's side. "While she is gone, I want you to get close to her Scottish ladies. Three of them are titled, one of them extremely rich and favored. All looking for husbands, I suspect."

Andrea nodded. "I would imagine so. French court is full of eligible and agreeable men."

"If it wasn't, I wouldn't have use for the Flying Squad." Catherine agreed. "Nonetheless, Mary trusts them and they her. Surely, you'll hear something."

Andrea bit her lip, wondering for a moment if she should tell the Queen about her conversation with Mary earlier that day. On one hand, she had to stay in Catherine's favor. On the other… Mary was so innocent. This court was going to eat her and spit her out and a part of Andrea wanted to shield her from that for as long as she could.

She sucked in a quick breath before she looked at the Queen. "Not all her ladies trust her." This certainly intrigued the Queen as she turned and looked at her imploringly. "She told me earlier, during our meeting, that one of her ladies blames her for Colin's death."

"And Mary believes this as well?" Catherine guessed.

"Mary believes that she's a danger to those around her because of her position as the Queen of Scotland." Andrea shrugged slightly. "I agree with her."

Catherine scoffed. "At least the girl has a brain. This is good. Well done."

Andrea nodded her thanks and felt a swell of pride at the praise she received. A thoughtful look rose to her face for a moment. "Can I ask a question, your highness?" Catherine gestured for her to continue and Andrea paused for a moment to correctly iterate her words. "What is it about the Queen of Scots that bothers you? She's just a girl."

"Not just a girl." Catherine said sternly. "She's a queen. A queen of a nation that may very well be the ruin of my son and France. Henry is ambitious and won't see reason, but I see it." Catherine turned Andrea to Mary as she spoke to her ladies, oblivious of the two women that were currently watching her. "I see a young, impressionable woman who holds all of her hopes on my son. I see a country who will need the lives of French soldiers to protect it and I see her country like a noose around my son's neck. You know Francis as well as I do, you know that if he were to fall in love with that girl, he would walk into hell for her."

Andrea pursed her lips as she listened to her words. The Queen didn't just hate Mary, she feared her. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she saw Mary as a threat to everything that Catherine held dear and fought ruthlessly for. Catherine saw a girl who would one day take her crown from her and ruin everything that she built. Andrea understood her fears, for once. Her paranoia and the steps that she was taking. But on the other hand, something seemed so… excessive about her claims. As if she knew that all of this would come to pass. Only one thought came to her mind…

"Nostradamus told you something." Andrea said, no question laced in her tone. "Something about what is to come to pass."

Catherine turned her gaze back to Andrea and took her hand in her's, her expression stern and icy. "And you will tell no one."

Andrea quickly shook her head. "Of course not, your majesty. But… you raised Francis to love his country and his family. He's a smart and strong young man. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize France's integrity. You needn't worry for him."

"I am a mother. Worrying for one's children is always in our hearts." Catherine replied, her gaze softening slightly. "Your words do give me some comfort. Nonetheless, you should continue what you are doing. Get close to Mary and her ladies a—and do not fail."

Catherine walked away with that and Andrea shut her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She looked over to Mary, who was talking to her ladies in quiet tones. With whatever energy she had from her already trying day, she placed a smile on her face and walked over to the group of girls. One of them spotted her first, a beautiful girl with brown hair, tanned skin and deep brown eyes gestured with her chin, causing the rest of them to turn to her. The others were just as beautiful. Two were blonde, one with angled and sharp features while the other had a rounded, innocent and almost childlike face. The last wore a deep frown on her face, a mixture of sadness and distrust in her blue saweyes. She was pretty, with her long, wavy dark hair and large rosy lips that only added to her beauty.

Andrea bent into a well practiced curtsy before the young queen, who nodded a simple greeting. "Your majesty."

Mary gave her a teasing smile at the use of her title, but chose not to correct her in front of the court. "Andrea. I hope you didn't take offense to my declining Queen Catherine's order. It had nothing to do with you, surely."

Andrea waved her off. She knew well enough the rift between Catherine and Mary. "Of course, your majesty, I take no offense."

Mary smiled at her and gestured to her ladies. "This is Lady Andrea La Tremoille, the one I told you all about."

Andrea raised a brow at her. "You speak of me, your highness? I'm flattered."

"The one who tells stories of ghosts?" One of her ladies spoke, the one with tanned skin and a glamorous air. "Do you know other stories of the castle as well?"

Andrea nodded, feeling undeterred under her scrutinizing gaze. It was no different from the other ladies and the way that they typically judged each other. "I do, I grew up here. I was a playmate for the royal children for a long time, so I could tell you just about every legend about these old walls. And any rumors that might come about."

"Rumors?" The soft faced blonde voiced. "Like gossip? Are you allowed to gossip about nobility?"

Andrea tilted her head and cast her eyes to the ceiling thoughtfully. "Mm, no. I don't believe so. But if the dear Queen of Scots keeps a secret, I don't believe there would be a problem."

Mary shook her head at the girl with a wide smile. "Your secrets are safe with me, Andrea." She gestured to her ladies. "Where are my manners? Lady Andrea, these are my ladies; Lady Kenna, Lady Lola, Lady Aylee, and Lady Greer."

"It is a pleasure." Andrea bowed her head in greeting. "I also wanted to come over and invite your Scottish ladies for tea this afternoon while you are gone." They all looked at her in surprise, though Kenna and Lola's eyes flashed with distrust. "Queen Catherine will be too busy consorting with the party planners and entertainment for this evening to bother with my absence. I thought you all would enjoy some company while your own Queen is gone."

Mary smiled brightly at her and grabbed Kenna's hand. "That sounds lovely. I'm sure my ladies would be happy to, right?" She looked at them hopefully, only to smile in happiness when they all agreed, though two of them were quite reluctant to do so, she noticed.

"Then it is settled," she finalized with a small smile. "I'll have the servants prepare tea in the garden, far away from the festivities, and I'll send for you when it's ready." Andrea curtsied a farewell, which they returned, before turning on her heel and walking away, avoiding Sebastian's path while she did so. She could feel his intense blue eyes on her back as she left the throne room, but she didn't dare look back. As angry as she was with him, his very being sent a chill up her spine.

**_~For Country and Blood~_ **

Mary's ladies didn't speak the first few minutes that they sat down at the table she prepared I'm the garden. The servants offered them tea and pastries for the five of them and only the sound of clinking glasses and the soft sounds of the garden filled the air. She gazed at them over the edge of her cup as she took a sip, her eyes shooting to each of them curiously. Aylee seemed to be the most quiet of them, staring down at her scone with mild fascination. Greer was the more mature, a beautiful blonde holding herself in a manner that the others didn't. She supposed that was to be expected, what with her being without a title.

Lola and Kenna fascinated her the most. Kenna was confident. It was evident in the very way she walked. Lola was as well, but her confidence didn't lie with how she looked. There was a boldness to her that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Andrea cleared her throat lightly and set her cup before her. "So, how are you enjoying being back at Court? It must be different now, especially now that you're older." They looked at one another, unsure as to whether they could speak. Andrea rolled her eyes. They were making her job much harder than it needed to be. "Oh come now, we are hardly royals. From one lady in waiting to others, we should be able to speak plainly to one another."

Kenna raised her brow. "Speak plainly? About what?"

Andrea shrugged. "Oh I don't know, whatever you like. The party tonight, of places we've travelled… Or simply of the more eye catching pieces at court."

Aylee immediately started, her cheeks blushing brightly. "Not so loud! Someone might hear!"

"Like who, the kitchen staff?" Andrea gestured to them as the servants in question prepared to leave. "I'm sure they talk about much worse. Besides, I heard that the English Envoy is coming back to court tonight. I haven't seen him in years, but last I remembered, he enjoyed making pretty girls blush."

"Does he have a wife?" Greer asked, the first time she had spoken in their small outing.

"He does, God save her." Andrea said with a shake of her head. "I think the poor dear is in denial."

Lola frowned at the information, her lips pursed in a fine, displeased line. "Why are you telling us this?"

Andrea blinked at her in surprise. "I'm sorry?"

" _Why_ did you invite us for tea?" She said again, this time with an edge in her voice. "It's obvious that Queen Catherine does not care for us, so why do you?"

"I didn't know that the Queen and I were supposed to like the same things." Andrea said tersely, earning a look from the brunette. "Just because I serve her does not mean that I should toss about those that she dislikes. If I did that, I would have no one to talk to."

"That doesn't answer my question on why you would care to know us at all." Lola said again, her distrust of the lady clear.

Andrea stared at her for a moment before setting her tea in front of her and clearing her throat lightly. "Like you, I only returned to court a few days before after I completed my education in Venice. I realized that the only friends I had were the royal family, the ones that I serve. My family is back in my village and my life doesn't leave room for friends. At least you all have each each other. Perhaps I wanted to capture some of that." It was a good lie and had Catherine been there, she would have been so very proud. But there was truth in it, Andrea realized to her slight horror. While Francis was her friend, he was her superior. Her prince.

"I'm sorry." Andrea's eyes shot to Lola in shock as the girl gave her a pitied smile. "I didn't realize. This court is just-"

"Confusing." Kenna interrupted to say. "Not even a week here and our Queen's life was placed in danger and we lost one of our countrymen…" she winced and placed her hand on top of Lola's. "I'm simply saying it's not easy to trust anyone here."

"Especially those with attachments to Queen Catherine." Greer told her. "I've heard that those who get on her bad side don't last long at court."

"You heard right." Andrea told them, earning incredulous looks from the four girls. "I am grateful to my mistress in all ways but… you spoke the truth. Catherine is dangerous when crossed. But it's how any Queen should be. No one would respect her if she just sat quietly at the King's side. Queens must not only acclimate, they must assert themselves." She shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of tea. "I guess I mean to say that I understand her."

Aylee frowned. "Do you think Mary will end up that way? ...Like Queen Catherine, I mean."

"No." Andrea answered quickly, surprised that she actually meant the words. "Mary is already a queen. If power hasn't changed her already, I doubt it will now." She let them mull over it for a moment before she shook her head. "Enough with all this seriousness. Let's move onto lighter topics, like that hideous dress the Duchess of Whitmire wore to the wedding. I mean really!"

The conversation turned into girlish giggles and meaningless topics that girls their age divulged in. It was nice, for a moment, to imagine that she was doing this strictly for pleasure and not because she was commanded to. In another life, one that she wished she lived, she could have grown to genuinely like the young women sitting around the table with her, willing to welcome her into their close circle. Instead, she mentally distanced herself, knowing that nothing good would come out of this friendship.

Not at all.

**_~For Country and Blood~_ **

The next few hours were fairly normal and boring, a fact that Andrea was entirely grateful for. She helped Catherine run menial household chores and aided her fellow ladies in keeping the Queen on task. It was fairly easy, since Catherine was never truly off task. She had an example to set, after all, being the Queen of an entire country.

She carried a bit of fabric down the hall, elaborately decorated silk that was to be made into a dress for Charles' future bride. The castle was relatively quiet, as it was midday and everyone was preparing for the arrival of Prince Charles' betrothed. Barely anyone, save a few servants, flittered along the hall she traveled to get to the seamstress. It was nice to do such a remedial task. Typically, she was left with smiling sweetly at noblemen to distract them and put them in a false sense of security. Then Henry and Catherine would do what they liked with them during negotiations and trade deals. Every Flying Squad lady had a task. Most were set to sleep with men and learn their secrets. Andrea often pondered why Catherine had yet to send her to someone's bed. Whenever it came to seducing someone, Catherine always overlooked her and sent another. She often wondered if it was because she was a virgin, but she then remembered that virginity was never a virtue her mistress much cared for.

She stopped short when a couple came into view, the woman with chestnut hair giggling as she gripped her companion's hand and pulled him from a room. It only took her a moment to recognize the black hair of the man as he leaned down to whisper in the woman's ear. It was obviously flirtatious, from the way the woman twirled a lock of her hair and smiled at him in a coy fashion. A pang shot through her, something akin to both heartbreak and anger that she quickly quelled before she allowed it to take over her actions. She remained straight faced and seemingly dignified as she continued her path, though she could feel the remnants of a glare threatening to stretch across her face.

It wasn't until his companion dashed off from her scandalous affair that Sebastian raised his head and locked their gaze. Her hazel eyes narrowed while his blue ones seemed to be filled with just the right amount of mirth to completely annoy her. His lips pulled up in the slightest bit of a smirk and, for good measure, he began adjusting his trousers and holster back to their proper place.

"Sebastian." she greeted as she passed, fully intending for that to be the end of their exchange. He had other plans as he fell in step with her, however.

"Andrea." He quipped back. "Off in a hurry?"

Andrea gestured to the fabric in her hand. "If you must know, I'm running an errand for her majesty. Delivering fabric to the seamstress."

"I would have thought that beneath you." He murmured. At her glare, he raised in his hands in defense and began to clarify his point. "I meant that Catherine saves her Squadron for more… observational and hands on tasks, typically towards nobles."

"You can speak plainly, Sebastian, it's just us." She informed him saucily. "You believed that Catherine only uses her special ladies to sleep with men. I hate to be the bearer of such heartbreaking news, but that would be a perfectly good waste of fine, educated ladies."

"Obviously." Bash played along, obviously enjoying their small game of wits and banter. "All of that education and it's used to deliver fabric from one part of the castle to another. What a complicated task."

"Is there something else you needed other than to completely annoy me?"

Bash raised an eyebrow at her. "Last I remembered, we had agreed to a friendship."

"Friends can be annoying too." Andrea noted. "You're a walking example."

"Ouch. Careful, Andrea, I might think you're trying to hurt my feelings."

"Well, I do try." She said with a small smirk. "So, what was her name? Is she a lady?"

"Why the curiosity?" He breathed out, reaching up to rearrange his undone buttons. "I'll tell of my rendezvous' when you tell of yours."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "A lady doesn't kiss and tell."

"And neither does a gentleman." He said, giving her a mock bow. "So there has been kissing?"

Andrea let out an annoyed and audible sigh and turned to look at him, her eyebrow raised in an exasperated fashion. "Not since you, unfortunately."

His smirk only widened. "I don't remember you complaining then. A few gasps and other noises, yes…"

Andrea shook her head at the man, a smile threatening to pull at her lips at how absolutely ludicrous their conversation was currently. It reminded of her of how they used to be before even their romance had came to fruition. "Does constantly flirting with everyone get exhausting?"

"I haven't tired yet." He said with a brief shrug of his shoulders, a bright smile on his face that threatened to melt her very heart. She wanted to curse at him and the effect that he had on her very being, but she knew that she could never do such a thing while exposed. Plus, she would never give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much influence he had over her person. She tilted her head ever so slightly, watching as his lips moved and his blue eyes seemed to brighten in the glint of the day's light. His beard framed his face nicely, giving him a roguish look that complimented his personality. A few scars littered his face, obviously from hunting and fighting. "...Andrea?"

She blinked as his voice slowly eased back into her world. Bash stared at her in slight confusion, obviously a bit concerned for the woman in front of him. "Oh um…" She shook her head. "I didn't hear a single word you said."

"Obviously." He said, grinning at her blunt and honest response. "I asked if you were free for a bit of riding later?"

She frowned at him, all mirth that had been between them dissipating. "Are you sure that is a good idea?" She asked, looking around her to make sure that there was no one near to hear them. "After… the other day's events, I thought we decided that it was best to be cordial to one another."

"Is riding horses together not cordial?" Bash said, his eyebrows furrowing.

She sighed. "You know what I meant. A few days ago, you were… admitting some very personal things and I was wistfully lamenting my bad luck. I didn't think it wise for us to… be that way again. To spend time with one another in anything other than a formal situation. We are members of the same court, we should remember our manners."

His expression sobered into something much more serious and he straightened his stature. Andrea couldn't help but feel a hint of sadness at the change in mood and formality between them. No matter how necessary it was.

"Forgive me then, Lady La Tremoille." He said, a bite to his words that turned her sadness into frustration and anger. "For a moment, I thought that two people who have known each other since their childhoods would be able to spend a bit of time together."

"Do not blame me for this, you are the one that insists on complicating things." Andrea admonished. "One moment you're angry and brooding and the next you're talking to me as if nothing ever happened."

"I complicate things? If I remember correctly, you kissed me."

"It wasn't as if you pushed me away!"

"Because what man in his right mind would push away the advances of a beautiful woman?!"

"Perhaps the man that knows that he has to!"

They both stared at each other, their anger building to a crescendo. Her heart pounded in her chest and threatened to break clear through her body, with anger and an onslaught of complicated emotions coursing through her veins. Bash looked frustrated as well and ran a hand through his already unruly, black locks.

"We can't keep fighting like this."

"Agreed." Andrea said with an affirmative nod, clenching her arms tighter around herself. "It's childish."

"And we are hardly children." He surmised, breathing a quick puff of air. "We should behave as the adults that we are."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Monsieur De Poitier!" Both of their heads snapped to the voice, finding the source in a page running down the halls. Bash's expression suddenly grew dangerously serious and stepped in front of her, ready to accept whatever message the man had. She frowned at the expression, finding his instant transition into soldier-hood a bit disturbing.

"What is it?" Bash said, an edge to his tone that she could only categorize as anticipation.

The page heaved in breaths trying to get his bearings, his face flushed red from his haste. "T-the English have amassed at the coast. The French ship carrying Prince Charles' betrothed took on water and the English gave rescue. They sent an envoy ahead as a show of peace."

"And Mary and Francis don't know." Andrea murmured, looking to Bash with worry.

The page nodded. "The king has ordered that his fastest rider deliver the message with haste!"

Which was Bash, of course. Without a hint of hesitance, he started down the hall with the other in tow, leaving Andrea to her devices. She could only watch, worry pooling in her stomach.

**_~For Country and Blood~_ **

Andrea hated the English. It wasn't for reasons as fickle as loyalty to her King and an abundance of French pride. No, she hated them for entirely personal pain.

Her most ill kept secret was probably about her family. How at once they were prosperous, respected, and held titles that would make them nobility. A few bad dealings with the English, however, left their family ruined for generations. One of her great uncles was charged with treason and executed, forfeiting his titles, his land and his wealth to the crown. An aunt of hers had her reputation ruined by Queen Catherine of Aragon, deeming her unable to marry any agreeable gentleman of fortune, and then her father…

Her father's mistakes were shared equally between he and the English crown. He had tried so hard to redeem their family name that the quest eventually consumed him. He and her older brother were forced to flee France due to their crimes and England banished them from their lands after seizing what little money they had left for the crown.

In her eyes, England had done damage to her family again and again over the years and she had bore the brunt of it. She and her family's situations were the result of England's greed and for that, she despised them. Their constant looming threat towards France only made her hatred grow more. And here she was, living among them as they were greeted as guests of King Henry's.

"Look at all the guards. As if Colin would ever willingly return."

Andrea glanced over at Lola as they watched the merriment of the day take place. Amongst all of the excitement of the English's arrival at court and news of Colin's survival, the King and Queen saw it fit to bring a lighter tone to their court the next morning. It was like a pretty mask on a most ugly situation. Her gaze shot to Mary and Francis as they conversed with one another, genuinely looking like a happy and comfortable couple. Andrea didn't know whether to be happy or worried. On one hand, seeing Francis so content and happy warmed her heart. He deserved it. But on the other… She looked over to Catherine as she strolled beside the King, ignoring her husband as he bent to kiss the hand of a pretty young woman that they passed.

Kenna frowned. "Who is the King talking to?"

Greer shrugged, unconcerned with the view. "Anyone he likes since he has no use for the Queen and his mistress, Diane, is away." She told her.

The King looked back to them and smiled. While anyone would believe it was a simple greeting to his new subjects, Andrea saw clear as day that it was directed to the beautiful brunette beside her. She watched Kenna stiffen under the King's gaze and Andrea frowned before gripping Kenna's hand and pulling her towards her.

"Am I right in assuming that the King was smiling at you just now?" Andrea whispered to her, her voice harsh.

Kenna's eyes widened and she quickly yanked Andrea away from the earshot of their friends. The other three girls didn't seem to notice as they slipped away, too enamored with watching Charles and Madeleine play.

"Keep your voice down, someone might hear you!" Kenna hissed, her eyes darting around to make sure that no one could hear them.

Andrea groaned and held a hand to her temple as she felt a headache forming at the drama of it all. "Oh Kenna, the King? He's married!"

"I know that! Nothing is going on!" Kenna said, her expression desperate and her cheeks flushed from the embarrassment. "The King… he simply… We had a moment and-"

"Kenna..." Andrea breathed deep, trying to mold her tone into a sympathetic and concerned one. "The King has moments with lots of girls, most of them young, like you. They never last."

"You weren't there." Kenna said. "You didn't see how it was. How he treated me."

"I didn't have to be there to know how he treated you." Andrea pushed, watching the girl's face carefully. "Remember, I grew up in this castle. I've seen many girls fall for the King's charms and then fall into his bed. Then, they either left court with ruined reputations or were never heard from again. And after all of that, he returned to Diane's waiting arms. It's a pattern." She grabbed Kenna's hand again to drive her eyes back to her as they drifted to the King was once again. "I can't tell you what to do, but please, promise me that you'll be careful."

Kenna pursed her lips into a frown but nodded all the same. Andrea let out a breath of relief and followed her back to their small group. Sebastian entered the courtyard with a few of his friends, hunting partners from the way they all carried themselves. Bash met her eyes for a moment before frowning and turning away, making her roll her eyes at his childishness.

"Lady La Tremoille," Andrea's posture immediately straightened as she turned to the person trying to get her attention. Her other four companions turned as well, looking over the man as he approached. He was handsome, with light brown hair and green eyes framed in thick lashes. He was clean shaven, proper-looking. It was obvious that he was nobility of sorts. He smiled at her and took her hand to place a kiss at her knuckles in greeting, an act that made her raise a brow. "It is lovely to see you again."

Andrea glanced at her fellow ladies as they eyed the man themselves. Kenna held an obvious sly grin which she directed at Andrea specifically. "I don't remember us meeting." She winced when Kenna elbowed her slightly, giving her an incredulous look. She quickly corrected herself as she watched the man's face falter, putting a fairly convincing dubious smile on her face.. "I do apologize however. My memory, you know?"

"Of course, I completely understand." He said with an affirmative nod. "I wouldn't expect you to remember me, however. We were just children the last time we saw one another. You used to tease me for being frightened of that dragon you rumored lurked in the dungeons. I think you called me the Duke of-"

"Cowardice." Andrea finished before quickly clasping her mouth shut. Lola shook her head at her while the other three laughed at her expense. Andrea groaned internally and gave the man an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, I was a silly child then. You were the son of the Duke of Nemours, yes? Lord Samuel."

"So you do remember." He said with a chuckle, seemingly unbothered by her outburst. "Don't worry about offending me. As you said, we were children. I'm the Duke of Nemours now, since my father passed the title to me."

"What brings you to court?" Greer asked, joining the conversation. Andrea silently thanked her for intruding, finding herself completely blundering the conversation.

Samuel gestured to the King. "I had some meetings with his Highness and when they were done, I thought it was fit to stay for the festivities." His eyes were on Andrea once more. "Especially when my first kiss has also returned to court."

All eyes were on her then. Andrea felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment and had the Queen been present, she would have scolded her for behaving as a young, blubbering girl. Remembering her teachings, she tilted her chin higher and raised a brow at him.

"Is that any way to address a woman my lord?" she challenged. "Especially one who once teased you? Perhaps I'll have a chat with that dragon and ask him to make a reappearance?"

As Samuel gave a bark of laughter, Mary's ladies gaped at her very bold response. Satisfied, she let a very sly smile slide onto her face.

"You're still just as witty as I remember." he said with a wide smile. "Perhaps you might join me for a walk through the gardens one day? We can trade wits and reminisce of old times?"

The request shocked her into silence. An air of anticipation fluttered and wafted around her. As she sputtered and tried to come up with some answer for him. Her eye suddenly caught Bash looking at her with an unreadable expression. He was talking to Mary and the Queen paused in her conversation to follow his gaze. When their eyes met, she smiled and waved. Andrea returned it just as Bash set off. She pursed her lips and looked back to Samuel with a smile, trying to push the thought of that blue eyed man from her mind. "I would like that, Lord Samuel. You can fetch for me later."

"I will count down the hours." he said, before bowing to the ladies and walking away to rejoin the festivities.

Greer immediately wheeled to face her, a mixture of admiration and shock on her face. "You must teach me how to talk like that. You were so… poised!"

"And bold." Kenna said with a raise if her brow. "Being careful, are you?"

"As careful as I can be." Andrea shot back to her. "A walk is simply a walk. And that man couldn't try anything more if he paid for the privilege." Again the ladies were aghast at her bluntness, but didn't question it. They knew it was a normal occurrence with her by now. She looked to Queen Catherine and nodded to her respectfully. She returned it in kind before continuing her route through the picnic. "Besides," she muttered so that the chatting ladies wouldn't hear. "It's not as if anything could ever come of it."

**_~For Country and Blood~_ **

"And she had the nerve to accuse my mother of treason!" Francis ranted, his body a coil of tension and irritation. "What else can I do but give her my word?"

Andrea looked at him sympathetically from her place on his bed. He had been pacing the length of his room since they had retreated there, in desperate need to get away from the eye of the court. "Francis, you'll put a hole right through that marble if you keep that up." She warned him.

"Why on Earth must she be so stubborn?" He seethed, ignoring her attempts to calm him. "I tell her that I support her position here and still she doesn't believe me. Am I dishonest, Andrea? Do I give off some air of distrust?"

Andrea sighed and gave him a stern and worried look. "Francis, for God's sake, stand in one spot for a moment!" He did as she said at her sharp time, but took to crossing his arms over his chest while he stewed in his anger. "Now, calm down. It was one simple fight, as to be had with any engaged couple."

"We are not "any engaged couple", we're rulers." He said. "Surely my words should mean something to her, we might one day rule side by side. The word of the man she may one day marry should be enough."

"It should." Andrea agreed. "But those words, Francis… "Might" and "may". Even I don't trust them coming from your lips and we've known each other since we were ten." She caught the prince off before he could move to argue. "I know you very well. I know that when you make a promise, you do everything in your power to keep it." She stood and took Francis' hand, unravelling his tense demeanor. "But Mary doesn't know you. She knows a version of you from a time you both barely remember. The man that she sees now is someone she respects, yes, but not someone she trusts. To her… your promise is hollow."

Francis stared at her for a moment, knowing that what she said was right. The stirring anger in him slowly dissipated until he stood defeated before her. "Then how do I solidify my promise to her?"

"You know how." Andrea said, making him sigh deeply. "And as you cannot bring yourself to do that then… prove yourself some other way. Show her the man that I adore and admire… and frequently tease." The joke brought a small smile to his face. She smiled in return. "There we are. I don't like it when you brood. It doesn't fit you well."

Francis sighed as she turned back to sit back unceremoniously on his bed again. "I know." He grumbled before coming to sit beside her. A smirk slid on his face as he watched her settle back against his pillows as if it was her own bed. "Did I see you speaking with the Duke of Nemours earlier?"

Andrea groaned and pulled a pillow over her face to hide her embarrassment. "Oh God, I made a fool of myself too. I called him the Duke of Cowardice, Francis! Cowardice! What is wrong with me?"

"Shall I begin a list or would you like a more verbal affirmation? It may take a few hours." Andrea lifted the pillow to glare at her friend, earning a laugh from the man. He patted her leg to comfort her. "I'm sure it wasn't as awful as it may seem."

"Really?" Andrea drawled in disbelief. "Have you ever repeated a teasing name to Mary? Perhaps made a comment about her skinny legs?"

"And risk my head?" Francis shook his head in mirth. "Do you fancy him then? The Duke?"

Andrea pursed her lips in thought and shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't know. The only thing I remembered of him is how he cried when a rat wandered into the ballroom from the kitchens. He's certainly handsome, a little boring if anything."

"And you are anything but boring." He told her. His expression turned serious for a moment. "But then there's my mother's rule for you… about marriage."

"Yes, there is that." Andrea murmured thoughtfully. "I am not to marry in her service unless she allows it."

Francis stared at her for a moment, a frown marring his face. "I worry about your… arrangement with my mother. Her ladies are not known for their piety."

"Are you worried about my piety now?"

"Only your heart." He told her honestly. "You are my oldest and closest friend, save my brother. To think of you used in such a way-"

"Then don't think of it." She told him gently, feeling an uncomfortable tug in her heart at the mention of her life's service "Unless you would speak against your mother."

"Speak against her about her flying ladies? You truly don't wish for me to keep my head." She couldn't help the tearful laugh that escaped her and he smiled at the sound of it. "But… I will protect you. If there's anything you ever need, I will be there to help you. And I will try to appeal to my mother's better nature to keep you from doing… that."

"From sleeping with men for gain?" She said with a heavy sigh as he winced. "I accepted my lot in life the day your mother sent me to Italy. It's alright." She took his hand in her's. "I know that you'll always be there for me, as I will be there for you."

Francis smiled at her just as a rapid knocking sounded at his door. "Dauphin! There has been an attack in the Queen of Scotland's chambers!"

In the blink of an eye and faster than even Andrea could comprehend, Francis was off of the bed.. He looked back at her before he darted out of the door, his eyes filled with worry. "Andrea, go to your room immediately and lock your door! Our guards will escort you there."

She barely managed to nod before he was gone with his sword in hand. A dozen questions and worries already ran through her head. Her worst fear was that Catherine had taken drastic measures in her dislike for the younger Queen. She quickly dismissed the thought as she thought of how clever her mistress actually was. The woman could kill the Queen of Scots before anyone realized what happened. And, she would make it look like an accident.

Someone else was trying to kill the Queen of Scots. And she'd bet any amount of ducats that their English guests were at the center of the plot.

**_~For Country and Blood~_ **

"A dead girl in the Queen of Scots' chambers? Oh for heaven's sake." Catherine said with a roll of her eyes as she sat at her vanity. "You would think the English would have a little more tact in their attempts against her life. Seems the Tudor Queen has lost her touch in her short, bloody reign."

"So you do believe the English did it?" Andrea said as she sat on the other side of the room, a thoughtful frown on her face.

Catherine gave a light shrug as she fixed her hair in the mirror. "Well why not? England wants her country and her crown. They'll take it off of her recently decapitated head if they have to. Mary Tudor was always good at that."

They had yet to find the poisoned girl that Mary came upon in her chambers, but that didn't make the threat against her person any less real. After the guards had deemed it safe to navigate the castle once again, Andrea immediately went to the Queen to report what had happened. The relief she felt when it was revealed Catherine had nothing to do with it and was just as surprised as she was immeasurable.

Andrea nodded and sipped her tea, knowing that what the Queen said was true. "I always knew the English were bold, but to do such a thing in the castle of a nation that they are at peace with…"

"There is never peace between nations, my dear." Catherine told her in a sage-like fashion. "Only a stay of war. Royals are always grasping for power and they'll try and take it whenever the opportunity rises."

"It sounds exhausting to want so much." Andrea noted. "That boy, Colin… how did he manage to escape?"

Catherine shrugged, seeming undisturbed by the mention of the now dead Scottish boy. "The guards mark prisoner's cells with a red "x" when they are meant to be executed. Seems another boy's was mistakenly marked, a thief meant to be tortured."

"So the wrong boy was killed because of a mistake?" Andrea said in disbelief. "How horrible."

Catherine gave out a light hum of agreement before standing from her vanity and crossing to the table to join her lady. Andrea immediately poured her mistress a cup of tea and served it to her before returning to her own seat across from her.

"No more talk of that boy. Let him rest with his crimes. Tell me of your return to court." Catherine asked, dropping two cubes of sugar into her tea. "Is it going well?"

Andrea smiled and nodded. "Quite well, your majesty. Despite the… excitements that have happened, my work is done with ease and mostly everyone has been kind… Save some of my fellow members of your Flying Squad. They never did quite like me."

"How fickle." Catherine tutted. "If they ever cross a line-"

"I can handle it, your majesty. You taught me well."

"I did" Catherine said in a proud fashion. "It was a long year with you gone. Full of incompetence and little to no one to speak to."

"I can say the same." Andrea told her, looking down at her tea cup. "Venice was… beautiful, as you always described, but it was lonely too. It was your and my family's letters that brought me some solace, and Francis' as well. My education was quite thorough."

"As it should be with how much I paid for the privilege." Catherine said with a small chuckle. "For what is a woman without her mind and wit?"

"A waste of potential." Andrea recited, remembering the words Catherine had said to her when she was just a little girl. "I remember." She bit her lip for a moment and stared into the dark, murky liquid in her fine porcelain tea cup. "I had a question, your Grace."

Catherine raised a brow at her expectantly. "Alright."

"I noticed something, while we were at the wedding." Andrea began, going through the words tentatively. "When I offered to gather information on the Duke of Anjou, you seemed against it. Even so with the Duke of Guyenne, you gave that task to Gabrielle."

"Gabrielle has seniority with the Duke, I thought it best." Catherine said, narrowing her eyes. "Are you questioning my decisions?"

"I'm only questioning your faith in me." Andrea said. "Or lack thereof"

"You think I don't trust you to do your job well." Catherine concluded.

"Is it because I'm… a virgin?" Andrea said, her voice small as she approached the question delicately. "I might not be experienced, but you sent me to Italy to train for any situation. Seduction being one of many."

"Andrea…" Catherine said with a sigh, trying to interrupt the rambling girl.

"I simply don't want you to coddle me because of that fact. I can handle it-"

"Andrea!" Catherine exclaimed forcefully, stopping the girl's long trail of words. Andrea stared at her with confused and embarrassed eyes, knowing that she had overstepped. Catherine pursed her lips for a moment before setting down her tea and reaching across the table to take Andrea's hand. The touch was familiar, as it should never have been between servant and mistress. But Andrea and Catherine were different. Everyone in court knew so. It was why Andrea was hated by her fellow ladies and why Catherine's husband spent a little bit more time than he liked comparing their facial features for any resemblance.

Catherine patted the top of Andrea's small hand, a soft smile gracing her lips. "When you came to live here at the age of ten, you were a scared little girl who had been on her own for much too long. When Henry demanded to know why I let this small, red headed peasant girl stay in our home, I told him the truth of our arrangement. Told him that you would be of use to us. He thought that you were my child from a lover, a deliberate disrespect. I saw to it to risk my own neck and quelch any such rumors." She sighed. "The truth of it was, I saw myself in you. A girl forced to grow up too soon for the sake of family. Who had lost her parents and had to fight to survive."

"Your Grace…" Andrea began to say in a quiet tone, only to be silenced by the Queen's next words.

"I feel responsible for you." Catherine admitted. "As I do my own children. It is why I take such measures, why I refuse to allow you to bed noblemen like my other ladies. Do you know what manipulates men more than flesh at their fingertips?" Andrea shook her head, dazed and surprised at the Queen's revealing words. "Flesh that they cannot touch. It drives men mad when they cannot have something that they want, it makes them foolish and reckless. And I would use that to my advantage."

"You want me to stay a virgin." Andrea realized. "To be the thing that men cannot have."

"To be the thing that men would divulge their darkest secrets for the chance to have in their grasp." Catherine corrected her. "You have the ability to alter the course of political tides and you won't even have to lift your skirt. Be happier, darling."

"I…" Andrea didn't know what to say. She stared at Catherine with a frown as she ran her words through her head. All this time she had been mulling over the day when she would have to have sex with an older nobleman she didn't know or care about for Catherine's gain. She had spent the past year mentally preparing herself for the moment, hardening herself against it. Now she was being told she wouldn't have to.

Thankfully, there was a knock at Catherine's door that kept her from answering. "Enter." Catherine called out, lifting her tea once again and bringing it to her lips.

Her page entered the room and bowed lowly. "The Dauphin wishes to see you in the throne room, your Majesty."

Catherine raised a brow in curiosity before flicking her hand to dismiss him. As she stood, Andrea did as well, still in a state of shock at the revelation. "You are dismissed for the evening," Catherine told her as she made her way to her door. "Think about my words, Andrea, and prepare yourself for what is to come."

In true Catherine de Medici fashion, she waltzed from the room with those ominous words. Andrea processed the words as she made her way to her own chambers. On one hand, she was happy. Incredibly so and it took everything not to burst into happy tears. On the other, she felt that her place in court had shifted. Her body wouldn't be used as a toy for Catherine's gain, she wouldn't have to betray her heart to bed men she wouldn't like. So what was she? Not a daughter to Catherine, but treated like one. A servant, but not. A Flying Lady that was unlike the others in her squadron. She would still lie, still betray others in the name of Catherine de Medici. She would still never be able to love freely.

But in a sense, she was much more free than she was before. And she thanked God in her mind for that opportunity.

She let her shoulders sag once she was within the security of her own room. With nimble and quick fingers, she undid her dress and pulled the pins that kept her hair from her face. With every layer that fell forgotten to her bedroom floor, she felt more and more at ease until she was bare and happy to be so. Once she was dressed and done with her nightly routine, she made her way to her bed as she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair to shake loose any knots. She never thought she would enjoy seeing her bed as much as she did and her skin was tingling with anticipation when she pulled back her covers. It took her a moment to process it, the red streaks of paint that coated her sheets and marked her for something insidious.

A scream ripped from her throat and echoed down the darkened halls of the castle. And in a dark, forgotten tunnel that no one visited, a girl listened to it with glee.


End file.
